snow·ball

noun

/ˈsnəʊbɔːl/

Idioms

[countable] a ball that you make out of snow to throw at somebody/something in a game雪球
- a snowball fight雪仗
- Children were throwing snowballs at the passing traffic.孩子们向过往的车辆扔雪球。
[singular] (often used as an adjective) a situation that develops more and more quickly as it continues滚雪球般发展的情形
- All this publicity has had a snowball effect on the sales of their latest album.所有这些宣传对他们最新唱片的销售产生了一种滚雪球效应。
[countable] a drink that is a mixture of lemonade and a liqueur (= a strong, sweet alcoholic drink) made with eggs雪球鸡尾酒（含白兰地蛋酒和柠檬汽水）

Idioms

not have a snowball’s chance in hell

(informal) to have no chance at all毫无机会；不抱希望
- There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'll wear that thing!我根本不可能穿那玩意儿！

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/

if a problem, a plan, an activity, etc. snowballs, it quickly becomes much bigger, more serious, more important, etc.滚雪球般迅速增大（或趋于严重、变得重要等）
- Opposition to the proposals has snowballed.对这些提议的反对意见如滚雪球般不断增加。