blizzard en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- [ˈbl̥ɪz.əːd] (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈblɪz.ɚd/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈblɪz.əːd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- [ˈbl̥ɪz.ɚd] ~ [ˈbl̥ɪz.ɹ̩d] (General-American)
Etymology
Unknown, with various theories as below. Compare English blizz (“violent rainstorm”), dialectal English bliz (“violent blow”); one etymology, from Midlands English dialect, seems to be ultimately from Old English blysa (“blaze”). Etymology theories * The earliest written use of blizzard as a term to describe a severe snowstorm, spelled blizard, was in the Estherville, Iowa's Northern Vindicator on 23 April 1870. O.C. Bates, neologistic editor of the Northern Vindicator, used it for the terrific snowstorms in the state that spring. He claimed he had picked up the term from locals characterizing a "Lightning Ellis", on account of his violent outbursts. One week later it appeared again in the same newspaper, only with the now-common double-z spelling. * Blizzard possibly comes from the surname "Blizzard" dating back to 1700s(?). Blizzard surname possibly comes from the blizzard one, dating back to the 1500s(?). * The word blizzard was used (not in relation to the weather) in America prior to 1870. It had various, roughly associated, now obsolete meanings: : Blast with a firearm or cannon (whether one or multiple bullets or pellets uncertain) : Verbal blast : Blast with a firearm or cannon (single ball or bullet): : Blazing fire : Heavy or painful physical blow (not involving a firearm) : Literal or figurative attack : Exclamation (like “the blazes” or “blue blazes") : Blast with multiple firearms or with a firearm loaded with multiple pellets : Shot of liquor * Probably from the German blitzartig (“very fast, like lightning”) * Another version suggests French blesser (to wound), but neither this nor the German can be substantiated. Yet another claims that blizzard derives from English dialect blizzer, meaning "a blaze" or "flash" ("Put towthry sticks on th' fire, an' let's have a blizzer," - The English Dialect Dictionary) or from blazer (something that blazes or blasts), which gave the early sense "a volley of firing guns," that is, a general "blazing away." * Thomas Ratcliffe of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, in the March 17, 1888, edition BLIZZARD (7th S. v. 106).—The word blizzard is well known through the Midlands, and its cognates are fairly numerous. I have known the word and its kin fully thirty years. Country folk use the word to denote blazing, blasting, blinding, dazzling, or stifling. One who has had to face a severe storm of snow, hail, rain, dust, or wind, would say on reaching shelter that he has "faced a blizzer," or that the storm was "a regular blizzard." A blinding flash of lightning would call forth the exclamation, "My! that wor a blizzomer!" or "That wor a blizzer!" "Put towthry sticks on th' fire, an let's have a blizzer"—a blaze. "A good blizzom" = a good blaze. "That tree is blizzared" = blasted, withered. As an oath the word is often used, and "May I be blizzerded" will be readily understood. * A check of some of the Midlands regional glossaries printed in the 1800s finds several entries for blizzy. First, from Anne Baker, Glossary of Northamptonshire words and phrases (1854): BLIZZY. A blaze. "Blow the fire, and let's have a nice blizzy." This, though now considered a vulgarism, is a retention of the original A.-Sax. blysa, a blaze. And Angelina Parker, A Glossary of Words Used in Oxfordshire (1876): Blizzy, a flaring fire produced by putting on small sticks. Ex. 'Let's 'a a bit of a blizzy afore us goes to bed.' And from Barzillai Lowsley, A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases (1888): BLIZZY.— A blaze. The fire is said to be all of a "blizzy" when pieces of wood have been inserted amongst the coal to make it burn cheerfully. And from G. F. Northall, A Warwickshire Word-book (1896): Blizzy, sb. A blaze, a blast, a flare of fire. A.-Sax. blysa, a blaze. Common. They suggest that blizzy survived from the ancient word blysa in numerous localities and might well share a root with the U.S. blizzard.
Meanings
- A large snowstorm accompanied by strong winds and greatly reduced visibility caused by blowing snow.
- (figuratively) A large amount of paperwork.
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(figuratively) A large number of similar things; especially, such a group arriving as an inundation, thick and fast.
Risk is everywhere.[…]For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. “The Norm Chronicles”[…]aims to help data-phobes find their way through this blizzard of risks.
2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76:Near-synonyms: flood, inundation, torrent
a blizzard of political ads
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| blizzards | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
blizzardlike · blizzardous · blizzicane · blizzaster · black blizzard · superblizzard · blizzardly · blizzardy · ground blizzard
Synonyms
inundation · torrent · flood
Translations (135)
io nivegoza tempesto (severe snowstorm) · uk пурга́ (severe snowstorm) · ru мете́лица (severe snowstorm) · nv chííl bił hááyoł (severe snowstorm) · sv snöstorm (severe snowstorm) · uk бура́н (severe snowstorm) · el χαρτομάνι (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · az boran (severe snowstorm) · pl zawieja (severe snowstorm) · ca torb (severe snowstorm) · sh мѐћава (severe snowstorm) · es tormenta nival (severe snowstorm) · ga síobadh sneachta (severe snowstorm) · mi huka kairākau (severe snowstorm) · uk завірю́ха (severe snowstorm) · ru бура́н (severe snowstorm) · ru вью́га (severe snowstorm) · hu hóförgeteg (severe snowstorm) · es tormenta nívea (severe snowstorm) · sl snežni vihar (severe snowstorm) · ar عَاصِفَة ثَلْجِيَّة (severe snowstorm) · ru мете́ль (severe snowstorm) · az çovğun (severe snowstorm) · mn цасан шуурга (severe snowstorm) · ru сне́жная бу́ря (severe snowstorm) · izh alasvaahto (severe snowstorm) · pt nevão (severe snowstorm) · hy ձնաբուք (severe snowstorm) · it tormenta (severe snowstorm) · cmn 雪災 /雪灾 (severe snowstorm) · ba буран (severe snowstorm) · izh lumituisku (severe snowstorm) · hi हिम आँधी (severe snowstorm) · tt буран (severe snowstorm) · el χιονοθύελλα (severe snowstorm) · kn ಹಿಮಪಾತ (severe snowstorm) · izh lumisää (severe snowstorm) · cs sněhová vichřice (severe snowstorm) · fa کولاک (severe snowstorm) · kk боран (severe snowstorm) · la nigor (severe snowstorm) · izh lumitormi (severe snowstorm) · cy lluwchwynt (severe snowstorm) · fi lumimyrsky (severe snowstorm) · it montagna (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · fi myräkkä (severe snowstorm) · de Schneesturm (severe snowstorm) · hu hófúvás (severe snowstorm) · hi हिमाँधी (severe snowstorm) · ka თოვლ-ქარბუქი (severe snowstorm) · tg бӯрон (severe snowstorm) · ko 눈보라 (severe snowstorm) · fo kavaódn (severe snowstorm) · el θύελλα (large number of similar things) · sk snehová búrka (severe snowstorm) · cs vánice (severe snowstorm) · be віхура (severe snowstorm) · pl nawał (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · bg фърту́на (severe snowstorm) · pt nevasca (severe snowstorm) · fi pyry (severe snowstorm) · gd cathadh-sneachda (severe snowstorm) · ca rufaga (severe snowstorm) · tr tipi (severe snowstorm) · lv sniegputenis (severe snowstorm) · grc νιφετός (severe snowstorm) · th พายุหิมะ (severe snowstorm) · gl calistro (severe snowstorm) · sk metelica (severe snowstorm) · be мяце́ліца (severe snowstorm) · bg вие́лица (severe snowstorm) · izh lumipyry (severe snowstorm) · mk лу́ња (severe snowstorm) · fi vyöry (large number of similar things) · es tempestad de nieve (severe snowstorm) · gl escarabana (severe snowstorm) · cs metelice (severe snowstorm) · izh myrsky (severe snowstorm) · pl zamieć (severe snowstorm) · cmn 暴風雪 /暴风雪 (severe snowstorm) · sh mèćava (severe snowstorm) · alt бороон (severe snowstorm) · hu hóvihar (severe snowstorm) · sk blizard (severe snowstorm) · ja 猛吹雪 (severe snowstorm) · ug شىۋىرغان (severe snowstorm) · it marea (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · tk syrgyn (severe snowstorm) · pl zadymka (severe snowstorm) · sv snöoväder (severe snowstorm) · cjs поран (severe snowstorm) · ru лави́на (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · ro viscol (severe snowstorm) · mk сне́жна бу́ра (severe snowstorm) · be бура́н (severe snowstorm) · uk заметі́ль (severe snowstorm) · ky бороон (severe snowstorm) · no snøstorm (severe snowstorm) · ar دَمَق (severe snowstorm) · fr blizzard (severe snowstorm) · de Blizzard (severe snowstorm) · gl corisco (severe snowstorm) · ka ქარბუქი (severe snowstorm) · is hríðarbylur (severe snowstorm) · uz boʻron (severe snowstorm) · pl nawała (large number of similar things) · es ventisca (severe snowstorm) · mk форту́на (severe snowstorm) · gd cathadh (severe snowstorm) · gl cebrisca (severe snowstorm) · cs blizard (severe snowstorm) · ru пурга́ (severe snowstorm) · fa بوران (severe snowstorm) · et lumetorm (severe snowstorm) · pt monte (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · ckb کِڕێوە (severe snowstorm) · ka თოვლბუქი (severe snowstorm) · lt pūga (severe snowstorm) · eu bisuts (severe snowstorm) · fi vuori (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · izh pyry (severe snowstorm) · nl sneeuwjacht (severe snowstorm) · cmn 大風雪 /大风雪 (severe snowstorm) · pl nawała (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · bo ཁངས་ཁྱག (severe snowstorm) · cs sněhová bouře (severe snowstorm) · izh tuisku (severe snowstorm) · uz izgʻirin (severe snowstorm) · da snestorm (severe snowstorm) · la ningor (severe snowstorm) · pl nawał (large number of similar things) · sl blizzard (severe snowstorm) · pt montanha (figuratively: large amount of paperwork) · ro vifor (severe snowstorm) · yi זאַווערוכע (severe snowstorm)