Middle English Dictionary Entry
snouen v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | snouen v.(1) Also snoue, (chiefly N) snau(e(n; sg.3 snoueth, etc. & snouit; p. snoued, etc. & sneu(e; ppl. snoued & (N) snauen. |
| Etymology | From snou n.; for p. sneu(e cp. blouen v., p. bleu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. sneuen v.
1.
(a) To snow; -- usu. in impers. constructions; ben snoued, ?have snowed; ?be covered with snow; (b) of snow: to fall; of manna: descend like snow; snoued snou, snou snoued neue, new fallen snow.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6440 : Whan it snoweþ oiþer rineþ..his eren..al his body wryȝth [read: wriȝeþ].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1644 : Sche koude make þe wyndes for to blowe, To thondre and liȝte & to hayle and snowe, And frese also.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)665/3,4 : Floctat: snawes..Ningit: snawes.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)65/9 : Waters and maracez..a man may noȝt passe bot if he hafe riȝt hard frost and þat it be wele snawen abouen [F nad durement neggee par dessure].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)462 : Snowyn: Ningit.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)23.667 : It snew & haillede & thondrede faste.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)167/7 : Wen hyt ys a greyt wynde, when hyt..snowyt, reynet, or haylyth..þat ys not to angle.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)169/1 : The xij jmpedymentes Wyche cause men to take no fyche..The viijth yf hyt hayl or snowe.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)346 : To Snawe: ningere, floctare.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)107/ 352b : Niuo, niuigere: to snowe.
- a1500 *Medulla (Cnt D.2)89a/b : Ningo: to snowe [Hrl 1738: snowyn; Pep: snaw].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4950 : Al comeþ of Goddis wille, Reine it, snowe it, or be it stille.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6381 : Drightin self þam send þair fode..It sneu to þam als it was flur.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)558 : Hir nekke was of good fasoun..Hir throte also white of hewe As snawe on braunche snawed newe.
- a1425 Glo.Chron.B (Pep 2014)855/248 : Snowed [Trin-C: Temese was þo ifrore..& was swiþe whit aboue, of þe snywede snou].
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13551 : Dartes, launces, stones..So þykke atones gon þey fleye Also þikke as snow þen [read: þat] snew Or al so hail þat stormes blew.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)1748 : Her clothes wer precious and newe And whyte as snowe þat ever snewe.
2.
Fig. Of abundance, liberality: to shower (upon a land, people); hit snoued of, it abounded with (food).
Associated quotations
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1301 : Þe licour of her [Ceres] ful horne Vp-on þat lond so gan reine and snowe Þat alle estatis..Ladden her lyf in souereyn sufficiaunce.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1544 : Þe foysoun and plente Of knyȝtly fredam vn-to hiȝe and lowe..fulsomly gan to reyne and snowe.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)159 : Of straunge viaundys..To moore and lasse it snowyd doun plente.