1
- a ball of packed snow, especially one made for throwing at other people for fun雪球。
1.1
- figurative a thing that grows rapidly in intensity or importance〈喻〉（尤指强度或重要性方面）滚雪球般增长的事物：
as modifier the bustle has a snowball effect on the day's turnover.如潮的人流使日营业额像滚雪球般地增长。
1.2
- a dessert resembling a ball of snow, especially one containing or covered in ice cream似雪球的甜点（尤指含有或浇上冰激凌的甜点）。
2
- a cocktail containing advocaat and lemonade（含荷兰蛋酒和柠檬汁的）鸡尾酒。
1
- with obj. throw snowballs at向…扔雪球：
I made sure the other kids stopped snowballing Celia.
我设法确保别的孩子不再向西莉亚扔雪球了。
2
- no obj. increase rapidly in size, intensity, or importance（在大小、强度、重要性方面）迅速增长：
the campaign was snowballing.
竞选运动正在日益升温。
短语
a snowball's chance (in hell)
- informal no chance at all〈非正式〉毫无希望：
the scheme has a snowball's chance in hell of being accepted.
这个计划根本就没有希望被采纳。