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snowshoe

[snoh-shoo]
noun
  1. a contrivance that may be attached to the foot to enable the wearer to walk on deep snow without sinking, especially a light, racket-shaped frame across which is stretched a network of rawhide.
  2. Indian yellow(def 1).
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verb (used without object), snow·shoed, snow·shoe·ing.
  1. to walk or travel on snowshoes.
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Origin of snowshoe

An Americanism dating back to 1655–65; snow + shoe
Related formssnow·sho·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for snow-shoe

Historical Examples

  • Nothing equals the moccasin on the trail, nothing is so good to snow-shoe in.

    Ten Thousand Miles with a Dog Sled

    Hudson Stuck

  • Richard Darrell twisted his feet out of his snow-shoe straps.

    Blazed Trail Stories

    Stewart Edward White

  • "I'll be all right," and I went on lacing the snow-shoe thongs about my ankle.

  • Generally, however, the shape is such that the snow-shoe will fit either foot.

  • The Hudson Bay snow-shoe is only two and a half feet in length.

British Dictionary definitions for snow-shoe

snowshoe

noun
  1. a device to facilitate walking on snow, esp a racket-shaped frame with a network of thongs stretched across it
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verb -shoes, -shoeing or -shoed
  1. (intr) to walk or go using snowshoes
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Derived Formssnowshoer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for snow-shoe

n.

also snowshoe, 1670s, from snow (n.) + shoe (n.). Related: Snowshoes.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper