snow-broth

A glass of snow-broth sits on a wooden table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Melted snow: "snow-broth" refers to snow that has melted into water, often partially mixed with remaining snow or ice.
   • A cold drink: Historically, "snow-broth" can also mean a beverage, such as wine or spirits, chilled with snow or ice.

Usage Examples

• (Melted snow that has become water.)
• (A chilled alcoholic drink.)

Advanced Usage

• "to make snow-broth": to melt snow to obtain water, or to prepare a cold drink using snow.

  • In the absence of fresh water, they made snow-broth by melting snow over a fire. (They produced drinking water from snow.)

• "snow-broth as a metaphor": used figuratively to describe something that is cold, diluted, or lacking substance.

  • His apology was mere snow-broth—cold and watery, without real feeling. (A weak, insincere apology.)

Variants and Related Words

• Snow (n): frozen precipitation falling as white flakes.

  • The ground was covered in fresh snow. (White frozen water crystals.)

• Broth (n): a thin soup or liquid made by boiling meat, vegetables, or bones.

  • She sipped a warm chicken broth. (A savory liquid food.)

Synonyms

• Meltwater: water produced by melting snow or ice.
• Slush: partially melted snow mixed with water.
• Ice water: water chilled with ice (for the drink sense).

Related Idioms

• "Snow-broth and ashes": a phrase meaning something worthless or insubstantial.
  • His promises were like snow-broth and ashes—gone as soon as they were made. (Empty, fleeting promises.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Melt down (for snow-broth in the melted sense): to turn snow into water by heating.
  • They melted down the snow to make snow-broth for drinking. (Converted snow into liquid.)