pure as the driven snow

English

Alternative forms

• pure as driven snow
• pure as the driven (colloquial)

Etymology

According to Gary Martin, the term refers to "snow that has blown into drifts and is untrodden and clean". He also notes records of the similar phrase "white as driven snow" since 1611.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

pure as the driven snow (not comparable)

1. (simile) Extremely pure; totally pure (typically "pure" in the sense of "virtuous").

Translations

free of flaws or imperfections

• Finnish: puhdas kuin pulmunen
• French: blanc comme neige (fr)
• Georgian: თოვლივით სპეტაკი (tovlivit sṗeṭaḳi)
• German: rein wie Schnee
• Irish: chomh glan leis an sneachta
• Polish: czysty jak łza (pl)
• Welsh: cyn wynned â'r eira, cyn wynned â'r ewyn ar y dŵr

See also

• white as the driven snow