blizzard
pronunciation
How to pronounce blizzard in British English:
UK [ˈblɪzəd]
How to pronounce blizzard in American English:
US [ˈblɪzərd]
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- Noun:
- a storm with widespread snowfall accompanied by strong winds
- a series of unexpected and unpleasant occurrences
Word Origin
- blizzard (n.)
- "strong, sustained snowstorm," 1859, origin obscure (perhaps somehow connected with blaze (n.1)); it came into general use in the U.S. in this sense in the hard winter 1880-81. OED says it probably is "more or less onomatopœic," and adds "there is nothing to indicate a French origin." Before that it typically meant "violent blow," also "hail of gunfire" in American English from 1829, and blizz "violent rainstorm" is attested from 1770. The winter storm sense perhaps is originally a colloquial figurative use in the Upper Midwest of the U.S.
Example
- 1. In the arctic blizzard , there is nothing but white .
- 2. Blogs and tweets provide a blizzard of instant comment .
- 3. The blizzard hit in early march and paralyzed the city .
- 4. During the last big blizzard in new york , an ushahidi map popped up on my screen to record street blockages .
- 5. The money gets lost in the blizzard ?