degomble

English

Etymology

de- +‎ gomble (“accretion of snow”)

Verb

degomble (third-person singular simple present degombles, present participle degombling, simple past and past participle degombled)

1. (Antarctica) To remove accreted snow before entering a building.
   • 2008, hafital, “Sastrugi”, in Highlander Fiction Automated Archive‎^[1]:

     Macleod grinned. "What's wrong? Do you have your monk-on or something? Did you forget to degomble? A little too much big eye? Tired? Need to find your donga?"

   • 2010, Carole Marsh, The Mystery in Icy Antarctica:

     Dr. Orlav's mustache was frozen stiff with icicles hanging from the tips. The scientist yelled above the wind, "Be sure to de-gomble before we get in the Hagglund!"

   • 2015, Steve Alten, Vostok:

     A sign was posted in English, Chinese, German, and French: All Personnel must DEGOMBLE before entering dome. Ben translated. “They want us to brush off the powdered snow.”

References

• Hince, Bernadette (2000) The Antarctic Dictionary, Csiro Publishing, →ISBN