SNOWBALL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does snowball mean? 

• SNOWBALL (noun)
  The noun SNOWBALL has 4 senses:

1. plant having heads of fragrant white trumpet-shaped flowers; grows in sandy arid regions

2. ball of ice cream covered with coconut and usually chocolate sauce

3. ball of crushed ice with fruit syrup

4. snow pressed into a ball for throwing (playfully)

  Familiarity information: SNOWBALL used as a noun is uncommon.

• SNOWBALL (verb)
  The verb SNOWBALL has 2 senses:

1. increase or accumulate at a rapidly accelerating rate

2. throw snowballs at

  Familiarity information: SNOWBALL used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SNOWBALL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Plant having heads of fragrant white trumpet-shaped flowers; grows in sandy arid regions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Abronia elliptica; snowball; sweet sand verbena

Hypernyms ("snowball" is a kind of...):

sand verbena (any of various plants of the genus Abronia of western North America and Mexico having flowers resembling verbena)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Ball of ice cream covered with coconut and usually chocolate sauce

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("snowball" is a kind of...):

frozen dessert (any of various desserts prepared by freezing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Ball of crushed ice with fruit syrup

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("snowball" is a kind of...):

frozen dessert (any of various desserts prepared by freezing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Snow pressed into a ball for throwing (playfully)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("snowball" is a kind of...):

ball (a spherical object used as a plaything)

Meronyms (substance of "snowball"):

snow (a layer of snowflakes (white crystals of frozen water) covering the ground)

Derivation:

snowball (throw snowballs at)

• SNOWBALL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they snowball    ... he / she / it snowballs   
Past simple: snowballed   
Past participle: snowballed   
-ing form: snowballing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Increase or accumulate at a rapidly accelerating rate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "snowball" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Throw snowballs at

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "snowball" is one way to...):

bombard; pelt (cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

snowball (snow pressed into a ball for throwing (playfully))

 Context examples 

There is a pile of these arrears very soon, and it swells like a rolling snowball.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"There he is," thought Jo, "Poor boy! All alone and sick this dismal day. It's a shame! I'll toss up a snowball and make him look out, and then say a kind word to him."

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

While there are many different types of seizures, in most patients with epilepsy, neurons in the brain start firing and signal to neighbouring neurons to fire as well, in a snowball effect that can affect consciousness or motor control.

(Electronic device implanted in the brain could stop seizures, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)