snow-shoes
Definition
Noun (plural): - Special footwear for walking on snow: "snow-shoes" are lightweight frames, traditionally made of wood and rawhide, strapped to the feet to distribute weight and prevent sinking into deep snow.
Usage Examples
- (They attached the footwear to walk on deep snow.)
- (The historical construction materials of this footwear.)
Advanced Usage
"to put on snow-shoes": to attach the footwear in preparation for snow travel.
- The guide told everyone to put on their snow-shoes before leaving the trail. (To attach the equipment for walking on snow.)
"to walk in snow-shoes": to move while wearing this equipment.
- Walking in snow-shoes requires a wider stance than normal walking. (Moving with the footwear demands a different gait.)
Variants and Related Words
Snowshoe (n, singular): one individual item of this footwear.
- He broke one snowshoe on the rocky slope. (One of the pair was damaged.)
Snowshoeing (n): the activity or sport of walking with snow-shoes.
- Snowshoeing is a popular winter activity in mountainous regions. (The practice of using snow-shoes for recreation.)
Snowshoe hare (n): a type of hare whose feet are large and furry, adapted for walking on snow.
- The snowshoe hare's large hind feet act like natural snow-shoes. (The animal's feet are adapted for snow travel.)
Synonyms
- Snowshoes: the more common modern spelling (without a hyphen).
- Rackets: an older term for snow-shoes, derived from their resemblance to tennis rackets.
Related Idioms
- "To be on snow-shoes": (figurative) to be in a situation that requires careful, deliberate movement.
- The negotiators were on snow-shoes, treading carefully through the sensitive talks. (They proceeded cautiously, as if walking on unstable ground.)
Usage Notes
- The hyphenated form "snow-shoes" is less common in modern English; "snowshoes" (one word) is standard today.
- Snow-shoes are typically used in pairs, so the plural form is most common; the singular "snow-shoe" is rare but acceptable.