English snow idioms

Image via Wikipedia

Continuing with the snow theme, perhaps the most talked-about subject this week, here are some common idioms that we use in English concerning snow:

(to be) Snowed in: Trapped (somewhere) because of too much snow, most likely due to a recent snow storm.

e.g. The snow was so deep that we were snowed in for three days. Luckily we had enough food to last us a while.

(to be) Snowed under: Overworked; exceptionally busy.

e.g. Look, I’m really snowed under at the moment. Can this wait?

(to) snowball into something: Fig. [for something] to become larger or more serious by growing like a snowball being rolled.

e.g. This whole problem is snowballing into a crisis very rapidly.

(to / not to) have a snowball’s chance in hell: to have no chance at all of achieving something (usually + of + doing sth)

e.g. With those grades she doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into college.

A snow bunny:

1. Someone learning to ski.

e.g. This little slope is for snow bunnies. They call it the ‘bunny hill’.

2. A young, attractive female at a skiing lodge.

e.g. Some cute little snow bunny came over and sat beside me.

a snowball effect: a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate.

e.g. The more successful you become, the more publicity you get and that publicity generates sales. It’s a sort of snowball effect.

a snow job (American & Australian informal): an attempt to persuade or deceive someone by praising them or not telling the truth.

e.g. Danny’ll need to do a snow job on his Dad if he’s going to borrow the car again.

(to be) as pure as the driven snow: to be morally good.

e.g. How dare he criticize me for having an affair? He’s not exactly as pure as the driven snow himself!

[adapted from The Free Dictionary]

Strange Random Weather Quote:

Weather is a great metaphor for life – sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and there’s nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella – Pepper Giardino

Related articles by Zemanta

• Still snow (tammyheff.wordpress.com)
• Sensations Of Winter (slideshare.net)
• Search under way for 4 missing at Maine ski resort (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Snow on the ground in 49 states (msnbc.msn.com)