Library / English Dictionary

SNOWBALL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

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)

Sense 2

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 3

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 4

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

Abronia elliptica; snowball; sweet sand verbena

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

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)

 II. (verb) 

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))

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