snaw

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

snaw

1. alternative form of snow

Etymology 2

Verb

snaw

1. alternative form of snowen

Old English

Snāwbeþeaht weġ

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *snaiw (“snow”), from Proto-Germanic *snaiwaz (“snow”), from Proto-Indo-European *snóygʷʰos, from *sneygʷʰ- (“to snow”) + *-os (suffix forming action nouns from verbs).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /snɑːw/
• Rhymes: -ɑːw

Noun

snāw m

1. snow
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     baþian brimfuglas, · brǣdan feþra,
     hrēosan hrīm ond snāw, · hagle ġemenġed.

     bathe of sea-birds, spread of feathers,
     fall of frost and snow, mingled with hail.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Sē Antonius ġesēah þǣs Paules sāwle swā hwīte swā snāw stīgan tō heofonum betweoh engla þrēatas; ond tweġen lēon ādulfan his byrġenne on þǣs wēstenes sande; þǣr resteð Paules līchoma mid yfellīċe dūste bewrigen, ac on dōmes dæġe hē ariseð on wuldor.

     Antonius saw Paul's soul, as white as snow, ascend to heaven among throngs of angels; and two lions dug his tomb in the sand of the desert. There lies Paul's body, covered by filthy dust, but on Judgement Day he will arise in glory.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	snāw	snāwas
accusative	snāw	snāwas
genitive	snāwes	snāwa
dative	snāwe	snāwum

Derived terms

• snāwġebland
• snāwiġ

Related terms

• snīwan

Descendants

• Middle English: snow, snaw, snowe, snawe, snowȝ, snoȝ, snogh, snou
  • English: snow
  • English: (West Yorkshire) snaw
  • Scots: snaw
  • Yola: sneew, sneow, snowe, snow

Scots

Etymology

Inherited from Northern Middle English snaw (compare southern snow), from Old English snāw.

Noun

snaw (plural snaws)

1. snow
   • 1786, Robert Burns, A Winter Night:

     I heard nae mair, for Chanticleer
     Shook off the pouthery snaw,
     And hail'd the morning with a cheer,
     A cottage-rousing craw.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)