4. (Zoöl.) (a) The anterior prolongation of the head of a gastropod; --
called also rostrum. (b) The anterior prolongation of the head of
weevils and allied beetles.
Snout beetle (Zoöl.), any one of many species of beetles having an
elongated snout and belonging to the tribe Rhynchophora; a weevil. --
Snout moth (Zoöl.), any pyralid moth. See Pyralid.
Snout, v. t. To furnish with a nozzle or point.
Snout"y (?), a. Resembling a beast's snout.
The nose was ugly, long, and big, Broad and snouty like a pig.
Otway.
Snow (?), n. [LG. snaue, or D. snaauw, from LG. snau a snout, a beak.]
(Naut.) A square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig only in that she
has a trysail mast close abaft the mainmast, on which a large trysail
is hoisted.
Snow, n. [OE. snow, snaw, AS. snw; akin to D. sneeuw, OS. & OHG. sno,
G. schnee, Icel. snær, snjr, snajr, Sw. snö, Dan. snee, Goth. snaiws,
Lith. snëgas, Russ. snieg', Ir. & Gael. sneachd, W. nyf, L. nix, nivis,
Gr. acc. ni`fa, also AS. snwan to snow, G. schneien, OHG. snwan, Lith.
snigti, L. ningit it snows, Gr. ni`fei, Zend snizh to snow; cf. Skr.
snih to be wet or sticky. √172.] 1. Watery particles congealed
into white or transparent crystals or flakes in the air, and falling to
the earth, exhibiting a great variety of very beautiful and perfect
forms.
Snow is often used to form compounds, most of which are of obvious
meaning; as, snow-capped, snow-clad, snow-cold, snow-crowned,
snow-crust, snow- fed, snow-haired, snowlike, snow-mantled,
snow-nodding, snow-wrought, and the like.
2. Fig.: Something white like snow, as the white color (argent) in
heraldry; something which falls in, or as in, flakes.
The field of snow with eagle of black therein.
Chaucer.
Red snow. See under Red.
Snow bunting. (Zoöl.) See Snowbird, 1. -- Snow cock (Zoöl.), the snow
pheasant. -- Snow flea (Zoöl.), a small black leaping poduran
(Achorutes nivicola) often found in winter on the snow in vast numbers.
-- Snow flood, a flood from melted snow. -- Snow flower (Bot.), the
fringe tree. -- Snow fly, or Snow insect (Zoöl.), any one of several
species of neuropterous insects of the genus Boreus. The male has
rudimentary wings; the female is wingless. These insects sometimes
appear creeping and leaping on the snow in great numbers. -- Snow gnat
(Zoöl.), any wingless dipterous insect of the genus Chionea found
running on snow in winter. -- Snow goose (Zoöl.), any one of several
species of arctic geese of the genus Chen. The common snow goose (Chen
hyperborea), common in the Western United States in winter, is white,
with the tips of the wings black and legs and bill red. Called also
white brant, wavey, and Texas goose. The blue, or blue-winged, snow
goose (C. cœrulescens) is varied with grayish brown and bluish gray,
with the wing quills black and the head and upper part of the neck
white. Called also white head, white-headed goose, and bald brant. --
Snow leopard (Zool.), the ounce. -- Snow line, lowest limit of
perpetual snow. In the Alps this is at an altitude of 9,000 feet, in
the Andes, at the equator, 16,000 feet. -- Snow mouse (Zoöl.), a
European vole (Arvicola nivalis) which inhabits the Alps and other high
mountains. -- Snow pheasant (Zoöl.), any one of several species of
large, handsome gallinaceous birds of the genus Tetraogallus, native of
the lofty mountains of Asia. The Himalayn snow pheasant (T.
Himalayensis) in the best-known species. Called also snow cock, and
snow chukor. -- Snow partridge. (Zoöl.) See under Partridge. -- Snow
pigeon (Zoöl.), a pigeon (Columba leuconota) native of the Himalaya
mountains. Its back, neck, and rump are white, the top of the head and
the ear coverts are black. -- Snow plant (Bot.), a fleshy parasitic
herb (Sarcodes sanguinea) growing in the coniferous forests of
California. It is all of a bright red color, and is fabled to grow from
the snow, through which it sometimes shoots up.
Snow (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Snowed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Snowing.]
To fall in or as snow; -- chiefly used impersonally; as, it snows; it
snowed yesterday.
Snow, v. t. To scatter like snow; to cover with, or as with, snow.
Donne. Shak.
Snow"ball` (?), n. 1. A round mass of snow pressed or roller together,
or anything resembling such a mass.