Blizzard

Len from Chillicothe asked about the origin of the word blizzard.

The Weather Channel website tells us that the following requirements are necessary to speak of a blizzard:

• temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit
• winds of 35 miles per hour or greater
• falling or blowing snow in the air that reduces visibility to ¼ mile or less
• a duration of at least 3 hours

Originally, blizzard meant a violent blow; then it came to mean an overwhelming argument. The first print instance cited by the Oxford English Dictionary appeared in 1829: “Blizzard: a violent blow.” [Virginia Lit. Museum, Dec. 16, 1829, p. 418]

By 1859, the transfer from a punch to a snow squall had been completed: “A blizzard had come upon us about midnight... Shot 7 horses that were so chilled could not get up.” [L. B. Wolf, Diary, Dec. 1, 1859, in Kansas Historical Quarterly (1932), I. 205]

Metaphorically, it has come to mean a flurry of activity or a superabundance: a blizzard of phone calls, a blizzard of spam.


SIDEBAR: All about winter storms


Now available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition

Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. There is no archive.

Write to Mike with comments or questions:

wordmallATaol.com
(substitute @ for AT above)

Check out Mike's program-based books here:
Arbutus Press
http://arbutuspress.com/store_ling.html
or at Amazon.com

Visit the Senior Corner at http://seniors.tcnet.org