Middle English Dictionary Entry
snou n.
Entry Info
| Forms | snou n. Also snoue, snoȝ, snogh, snough, snouȝ(h, snouh, (N) snai, (chiefly early & N) snau(e & (in place name) snouwe- & (errors) snought, sonwh, synowe, suan-. |
| Etymology | OE snāw |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Snow, esp. fallen snow; an accumulation of snow, the accumulation of snow from one snowfall; bal of ~, a snowball; (b) falling snow; also, coll. snowfalls, snowstorms; also, snowy weather; (c) a snowfall, snowstorm; (d) flake of ~, flother ~, a snowflake; flaue of ~, a snowflake; also, a spot or blemish on the cornea; flok of ~, a spot or blemish on the cornea.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)35 : Ic walde fein pinian and sitten on forste and on snawe up et mine chinne.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)430 : Wanne snov [Jes-O: snouh] liþ þicke & wide An alle wiȝtes habbeþ sorȝe, Þu singest from eue fort amorȝe.
- c1300 SLeg.Inf.Chr.(LdMisc 108)93 : Þe sonne wax hot and snovȝh briȝht, Ase it was þoruȝh godes miȝht.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1002 : Aȝen þe lond of spaine..in þe norþ side riȝt, Selde snow þer inne liþ, & nameliche þre niȝt, So euene hot þat lond is.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)164a/a : By cause of colde þat hath þe maistry on hilles, snowe lieþ vpon hilles.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)855/248 : Temese was þo ifrore hard & þicke ynou & was swiþe whit aboue of þe snywede snou.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.110 : Ypocrysie..is lykned to a dongehul Þat were bysnewed with snowe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2315 : Þe burne seȝ þe blode blenk on þe snawe.
- c1400 Alle owr mischeuis (Eg 3245)16 : We wansin as þe snowh away.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)223/7 : Þai..caste on him meny balles of snowe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3920 : From þe hil þe water is revolvid Of snowys white.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.10 : Phebus..Thries hadde..The snowes molte.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1176 : Ye, fare wel al the snow [vrr. snough, snought; froste] of ferne yere!
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.5.28 : No man ne wondrith whan the weighte of the snowh [vr. sonwh], ihardid by the cold, is resolvyd by the brennynge hete of Phebus.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)83/27-8 : Noman may passe but ȝif it be strong frost & snowe abouen, for ȝif the snow ne were, men myght not gon vp on the yse.
- (1434-5) Acc.St.Michael Oxf.in OAST 7834 : Item, for takynge done of the ise & snowe of the cherche, ii d.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2)473 : Water and ys and eke snowe: Here beth þre þynges..And ȝet þe þre alle water be.
- c1450 Comp.Hope (Frf 16)61 : As the sonne grete snowes melte, So shulde I fare.
- c1400 Interpol.Rolle Cant.(1) (Bod 288)65 : Snow helpiþ to tempre þe erþe; for a good snow is worþ a dungyng, for it holdiþ heete wiþinne þe erþe.
- a1475 Mourn.Hare (Brog 2.1)29 : Att wyntter in þe depe snove Men wyl me seche for to trace, And by my steyppes I ame I-knowe.
- c1475 Abbrev.Trip.SSecr.(UC 85)344/32 : In this ceason..The tyme is swete, the wyndes risen, the snowes meltyn.
- a1500 Quest.MOxf.(Hrl 1304)287 : Whech ben the foure waters þat weyen the erthe? That on is snow, the oþer is occian waters, þe iiide is haill, be iiiith is dewe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10971 : The glyssenond glemes..glenttes on þe sknowe.
b
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1115 : Ðises geares wæs swa strang winter mid snawe & mid forste.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)146/24 : Ne þære ne byð ne forst ne snaw ne hagel ne reign.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13705 : Heo lette fleon..flan al swa þicke swa þe snau adun ualleð.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)99 : Þis is þe holi manne þe ure drihten sende alse snow sleðrende.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)38 : Godes riche..þer ham neuer ne mei snou ne uorst iureden.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)607 : Ȝif it is cold up an heiȝ, þe dropen bi-cometh to snowe.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)26 : Seue daies a seue niȝt, As ȝe seeþ þat falliþ snowe, Vte of heuen hi aliȝt And in to helle wer iþrow.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3942 : Iuppiter bitokneth snow and reyn.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.25.13 : As cold of snowȝ [vr. snoȝ; L nivis] in þe dai of rip, so a feiþful messager to hym þat sente hym.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.57 : Noþeles [in] þe hiȝest hille Appeninus, Hanibal was closede tweie dayes wiþ snow.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2851 : Afterward the time is schape To frost, to Snow, to Wind, to Rein, Til eft that Mars be come ayein.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)138b/b : Snow for naischnes and liȝtnesse of his substaunce makeþ no sowne noiþir noise in his fallynge doun to þerþe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9149 : Frost ne snogh, hayle ne reyne, Of colde ne hete felte þey no peyne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2003 : Þe snawe snitered ful snart, þat snayped þe wylde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4076 : Þer was no..snowe þat flakeþ fro Iubiteris tour Of whitnes fressher.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)16/49 : It semid with þaire schoting als it war snaw.
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)215 : Yif..the quarter of the yere be acordaunte therto, the planete sal be ful colde and wete and fresynge in to snawe.
- c1450 Iuy is (Eg 3307)p.84 : In gret stormys of snow and hail..spares for no wedyrs cold, Iuy, To bryng furth fruit ful properly.
- c1450 Lond.Chron.Cleo.(Cleo C.4)137 : In this same yere began a grete frost..and grete snowe with all.
- a1475 Prk.Weather & Moon in NM 58 (Brog 2.1)80 : What tyme þe grosse vapour, wherof þe snow is caused, bi excellent colde is turned into þe cloude, he kepith with hym þe grossnesse þat he had of þe erþe when he fyrst assendith.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)172 : Whan wilde gees hihe in the ayer vp fleen, A pronostik o snow & wedris colde..pleynly for to seye A-geyn wyntir how men shal them purueye.
c
- a1300 11 Pains(1) (Jes-O 29)74 : Mo saulen þolieþ þer sucche wowe Þane be floþre in þe snowe.
- ?a1300 Maximian (Dgb 86)91 : I stod in a snowe, Heye houpon a lowe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Zech.10.1 : The Lord shal make snowis and reyn of miȝt of the cloude.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)163/34 : God hath wrowt gret grace for vs & sent us a fayr snowe to qwenchyn wyth þe fyr.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1192 : The castel and the tour..I say..ful eke of wyndowes As flakes falle in grete snowes.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)314/30 : Mankeend..were put owte of..Paradice her in-to þis world, with gret traveill, wo, and sorowe to till here lyvelod in cold frostes and snowes, reynes and stormes.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)379 : vc knyghtis..perisshiden among the snowes.
d
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Cmb Gg.1.1)577 : La bouche me entre un aumfe de neif [glossed:] a flake of snowe [vrr. flay of snow, flothere snow].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)131a/a : Þat maculam..is in maner a kynd or generale to trace or cicatrice..which Albucasis calleþ vngulam adiposam, And Beneuenutus flosculum niuis, i. floc of snowe [Ch.(2): a flokke or flage of synowe].
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)164/8 : It myth not be wyth-owtyn deuowt preyerys þat þe eyr beyng brygth & cler xulde be so sone chongyd in-to clowdys & derkys & sendyn down gret flakys of snow.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1756 : Riȝt as a flaw of fell snawe ware fallyn of a ryft, Of a wysti wonn waghe with þe wynd blawen, So with a flote of Fresons folowand þi helis Þou sekis fraward Sichim.
2.
(a) Snow as a type of whiteness; also, her. argent; (b) in phrases and prov. expressions: as) whit as ~, as blaght as ~, so) whit so ~, whit ilich (like to) ~, etc.; mesel as ~, leprous as snow; shininge as (shirer than) ~, bright as (brighter than) snow; whiter (whit more) than ~, whitened over ~, whit aboven (up) ~, whiter than snow; etc.; (c) snow as a type of intense coldness.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.Nicod.(Vsp D.14)79/2 : Godes ængel heo þær gesegen..his hreaf swylce snau.
- (?c1375-a1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3573 : The feeld of snow with thegle of blak ther inne.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.28.3 : His lokyng was as leyt and his clothis as snow.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)18498 : Þai war transfigurd als tite, Was neuer i-wis snau sa quite.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)17371 : Of aungels one Had lifte awey þe graue stone Þat cloþed was as snow shire.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)108/10 : His claðes weron iworden swa hwite swa snaw.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)83/4 : Ðanne wurð ic iclansed of alle mine sennes, and hwittere ðane ani snaw.
- a1325 SLeg.Kenelm (Corp-C 145)189 : Þe luþer man smot of is heued..A coluere wiȝt so eny snou out of him gan teo.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9514 : Wite cloþes heo dude hire on..ilich þe snowe.
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)24/522 : So faire ȝhe was & briȝt of mod Ase snow vpon þe rede blod.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)50.8 : Þou shalt purisie [read: purifie] me and y shal be made whyȝte vp snowe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)4 Kings 5.27 : He wente out fro hym mesel as snow.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.225 : Þe ymage of Venus..was so craftliche made þat in þe mouþe and lippes, þat were as white as eny snow, semede fresche blood and newe.
- c1390 Heil be þow Marie Moodur (Vrn)35 : Heil brihtor þen þe blod on snowe.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)50.8 : Þou þi-selfe salt wasche me, And ouer snawe sal I whitened be.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)956 : Hir brest & hir bryȝt þrote..Schon schyrer þen snawe þat scheder [read: schedez] on hillez.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)145/17 : Þou schalt wasche me, and aboue snow I schal be mad whit.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)558 : Hir throte, also white of hewe As snawe on braunche snawed newe.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)44a/a : Nibatus: shyny[n]ge as snawe.
- a1425 St.Anthony (Roy 17.C.7)128/36 : A wyte byrde as snaw..apared.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.71 : Wasche þou me & y schal be maad whit more þan snow.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)430/962 : He lay slepyng..Clad in a stole off angelik cleernesse, Whittere than snowh.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)2327 : A loof she perceyuyd hir by As whyte as snou.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.132 : Braunches, leves, and bark..Was Also whit As ony snow.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4925 : As blaȝt was his berd as any briȝt snaw.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)308/26 : They saw a whyght towre as ony snowe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)139a : White as snawe: Niueus.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.60 : The manna..was white like to the snawe.
c
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)413 : Þu singest so doþ hen asnowe; Al þat ho singeþ, hit is for wowe.
- c1300 SLeg.Patr.(LdMisc 108)332 : In þe south-half of þe hul a deop water þare was and louȝ Þat..caldore was þane ani ys oþur snovȝ.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)140/1072 : He onswerde hire..Wiþ herte cold as eny snowe.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.47 : All hit is for wo Þat þe hen synges in snowe.
- a1500 Treat.GBattle (Hrl 1706)432 : They shalle be caste in a lycoure that ys caldere thane any Ise or snowe.
3.
In cpds. & combs.: ~ bal, a snowball; a flake of snow; ~ crie, ?a sorrowful cry [cp. 2.(c) quots. c1250, c1450]; ?error for sorcerie; ~ drift; ~ water, water from melted snow; also fig.; also, a pool of icy water.
Associated quotations
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)159 : Þe ter þet Mon schet for his emcristenes sunne is inemned snaw water for hit melt of þe neche horte swa deð þe snaw to-ȝeines þe sunne.
- a1250 SWard (Tit D.18)13/107 : Þeare is..toðes hechelinge i þe snaw wattres.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)138b/b : Snow watir [L aqua niuea] by his potencial and actual cooldenesse refreyneþ and byndiþ flux of þe wombe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)183b/a : There is ofte reyne and snowe aboute þe mounteyns; for coldenes of snowe watir many haue bocches vndir þ[e] chynne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9932 : Þis castel..quitter es þan snau drif [read: drift; Göt: on drift].
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)221/13 : Meny of þe citee..caste oppon him meny snoweballes, and meny oþer reproues dede him.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)122/1 : I be waschyd with snaw watyr, þat is to meyne trew penance.
- a1450(?1419-20) Topias (Dgb 41)100/900 : Good Iak, ȝour grace, where be ȝe foundid? Not in Goddis gospel, but in Sathanas pistile, Wher of sorowe & of snowcrie noon is to seken, But al maner of dolosite to ȝou is enditid.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)346 : Snayballe: floccus, nivenodium.
4.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PN Elem.2.132].
Associated quotations
a
- (1204) Fine R.King John231 : Johannes de Snaweshill.
- (1221) Justice in Eyre R.in Seld.Soc.53928 : Richard Snow.
- (1247) Close R.Hen.III13 : Pavia Snawball.
- (1252) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)1.48 : William Snow.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2199 : Roberto Snawe.
- (1304) Acc.Chester in LCRS 5952 : Elcok Snaubal.
- (1319) Nickname in LuSE 55164 : Ric. Suanball.
- (1327) Sub.R.Stf.in WSAS 7219 : Rogerus Snowbald.
- (c1334) *in Pilkington Surn. : Snouball.
- (1358) Reg.Edw.Blk.Pr.2.144 : John Snowblench.
- (1378) in Ewen Surnames Brit.158 : Joh. Snawe.
- a1425 Ghost in EHR 37 (Roy 15.A.20)415 : Quidam scissor cognomine Snawball.
- -?-(1355) Reg.Freemen York in Sur.Soc.9649 : Thomas Snaueball, taillour.
b
- (1233) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)294 : Snoudon.
- (1248) EPNSoc.39 (Glo.)21 : Snaushille.
- (1293) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)61 : Snawedon.
- (1298) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)311 : Snauedon.
- (1330) EPNSoc.8 (Dev.)311 : Snouwedon.
- (1362) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)170 : Snowdonstret.
- (1382) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.185 : Snawhopkerr.
- (1445) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)241 : Snawegatehede.