Definition

Noun: * A specialized automobile tire designed with a deep, aggressive tread pattern to provide improved grip, traction, and control when driving on snow-covered or icy roads.

Usage

• "Snow tire" is a compound noun. It is used to describe the specific type of tire, not the action of fitting them.
• It is typically used in the plural form ("snow tires") when referring to a set for a vehicle.
• In many regions with severe winters, it is common or legally required to "put on" or "install" snow tires for the winter season.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Before the first major storm, I need to get my snow tires mounted.
  • The law requires all vehicles to use snow tires from November to April on this mountain pass.
  • The deep tread on a snow tire channels slush and snow away from the contact patch.

Advanced Usage

• "To be shod with snow tires": A more formal or literary way to say a vehicle is equipped with snow tires.
  • The entire fleet was shod with new snow tires for the winter.
• The performance standard for snow tires is often marked by a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on the tire's sidewall.

Variants and Related Words

• Winter tire: A more modern and often preferred term, as these tires are engineered for performance in cold temperatures (below 7°C / 45°F) on ice and snow, not just snow.
• All-season tire: A tire designed for adequate performance in a variety of conditions, including light snow, but generally not as effective as dedicated snow/winter tires in severe winter weather.
• Studded snow tire: A snow tire that contains metal studs for even greater traction on ice. Their use is often restricted by law due to road damage.

Synonyms

• Winter tire

Antonyms

• Summer tire
• All-season tire (in the context of maximum winter performance)

Related Phrases

• To change over to snow tires: To switch from your regular tires to snow tires.
  • We change over to snow tires every Thanksgiving weekend.
• Snow tire season: The period of the year when using snow tires is advisable or mandatory.

Noun

1. an automobile pneumatic tire with deep tread to give traction in snow