snowball

noun

/ˈsnəʊbɔːl/

Idioms

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[countable] a ball that you make out of snow to throw at somebody/something in a game
- a snowball fight
- Children were throwing snowballs at the passing traffic.
[singular] (often used as an adjective) a situation that develops more and more quickly as it continues
- All this publicity has had a snowball effect on the sales of their latest album.
[countable] a drink that is a mixture of lemonade and a liqueur (= a strong, sweet alcoholic drink) made with eggs

Idioms

not have a snowball’s chance in hell

(informal) to have no chance at all
- There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'll wear that thing!

verb

/ˈsnəʊbɔːl/

[intransitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they snowball	/ˈsnəʊbɔːl/ /ˈsnəʊbɔːl/
he / she / it snowballs	/ˈsnəʊbɔːlz/ /ˈsnəʊbɔːlz/
past simple snowballed	/ˈsnəʊbɔːld/ /ˈsnəʊbɔːld/
past participle snowballed	/ˈsnəʊbɔːld/ /ˈsnəʊbɔːld/
-ing form snowballing	/ˈsnəʊbɔːlɪŋ/ /ˈsnəʊbɔːlɪŋ/

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if a problem, a plan, an activity, etc. snowballs, it quickly becomes much bigger, more serious, more important, etc.
- Opposition to the proposals has snowballed.