[f. prec. In sense 2 perh. a back-formation from snow-balling: but cf. Fris. sniebalje, G. schneeballen.]
1. intr. To form balls or masses of snow.
1684. O. Heywood, Diaries (1883), III. 343. It fell a considerable snow…. I … found it very dangerous way, for it snow-balled on my horses feet.
2. trans. To throw a snowball at (a person); to pelt with snowballs. Also fig.
1855. in Hyde Clarke, Dict.
1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 26 Feb., 2/3. The … Opposition … could do nothing but snowball the other side with Pigott all the evening.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 24 April, 10/1. To hear the old gentleman tell how he had actually snowballed Keats.
3. intr. To throw snowballs.
1860. in Worcester.
1866. Miss Yonge, Dove in Eagle’s Nest, ix. Christina … had been watching them snowballing in the castle court.
So Snowballing vbl. sb., the action or pastime of making and throwing snowballs.
1870. Aldrich, Story of a Bad Boy, xii. 124. Snow-balling at school, skating on the mill-pond,… were sports no less exhilarating.
1887. H. Smart, Cleverly Won, iv. 28. They skated,… and at times even relaxed so far as to fall to snowballing.
1887. Times, 28 Dec., 7/1. The mobbing and snowballing of Mr. Gladstone’s party.
