c. 1400, from snow (n.) + ball (n.1). Similar formation in West Frisian sniebal, Middle Dutch sneubal, German Schneeball, Danish snebold. Expression snowball's chance (in hell) "no chance" is recorded by 1910.
snowball (v.)
"to make snowballs," 1680s, from snowball (n.); sense of "to throw snowballs at" (someone) is from 1850. Meaning "to increase rapidly" is attested from 1929, though the image of a snowball increasing in size as it rolls along had been used since at least 1613, and a noun sense of "a pyramid scheme" is attested from 1892. Related: Snowballed; snowballing.
雙語例句
1. All this publicity has had a snowball effect on the sales of their latest album.
所有這些宣傳對他們最新唱片的銷售產生了一種滾雪球效應。
來自《權威詞典》
2. Tom turned the other cheek when he was hit with a snowball.