spindrift
/ˈspɪndrɪft
/noun [mass noun]
1Spray blown from the crests of waves by the wind.From the dark geometrical precision of its bridge, Ghyll Beck lopes downhill in long slants of water pelting spindrift spray and flooding, pure white, across the wide flat stones at the base of the waterfall....
- It's a fine day, the sun shining but the wind blowing spindrift sharp as staples.
- Its contents smelled of Scottish mildew and stone, and spindrift, and stevedore's spilt beer, and untreated crate wood, and alien scents of faraway cargo, the wafture of seas and continents.
1.1Driving snow or sand.Sitting on the ledge, looking up at the piles of spindrift snow just waiting to pour down my collar and into my gloves, I realized that I was maybe done for the day....
- At the top there was blue sky, but wind enough to lick fine spindrift snow from the lips of waist-deep drifts.
- The rocks were encased in crusted snow and the wind was driving spindrift across the open slopes.
Origin
Early 17th century (originally Scots): variant of spoondrift, from archaic spoon 'run before wind or sea' + the noun drift.
- well-gravelled
- well-greaved
- well grinded
- well groomed
- well-ground
- well grounded
- well-grown
- well-guarded
- well-guided
- well guiding
- well-hained
- well-haired
- well-hallowed
- well-hammered
- well-handed
- well-handled
- well-hardened
- well-harnessed
- well-havened
- well head
- well-headed
- well-hearted
- well-heated
- well heeled
- well-hewn