The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Snowy \Snow"y\, a.
1. White like snow. "So shows a snowy dove trooping with
crows." --Shak.
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2. Abounding with snow; covered with snow. "The snowy top of
cold Olympus." --Milton.
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3. Fig.: Pure; unblemished; unstained; spotless.
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There did he lose his snowy innocence. --J. Hall
(1646).
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Snowy heron (Zool.), a white heron, or egret (Ardea
candidissima), found in the Southern United States, and
southward to Chile; -- called also plume bird.
Snowy lemming (Zool.), the collared lemming (Cuniculus
torquatus), which turns white in winter.
Snowy owl (Zool.), a large arctic owl (Nyctea Scandiaca,
or Nyctea nivea) common all over the northern parts of
the United States and Europe in winter time. Its plumage
is sometimes nearly pure white, but it is usually more or
less marked with blackish spots. Called also white owl.
Snowy plover (Zool.), a small plover (Aegialitis nivosa)
of the western parts of the United States and Mexico. It
is light gray above, with the under parts and portions of
the head white.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Plume \Plume\, n. [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. Fly, v.]
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1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long,
conspicuous, or handsome feather.
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Wings . . . of many a colored plume. --Milton.
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2. (Zool.) An ornamental tuft of feathers.
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3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a
waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling
feathers.
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His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. --Dryden.
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4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides
himself; a prize or reward. "Ambitious to win from me some
plume." --Milton.
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5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence
resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large
ornamental grasses.
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Plume bird (Zool.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes,
especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and
some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of
Florida (Ardea candidissima).
Plume grass. (Bot)
(a) A kind of grass (Erianthus saccharoides) with the
spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in
swamps in the Southern United States.
(b) The still finer Erianthus Ravenn[ae] from the
Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended
to the whole genus.
Plume moth (Zool.), any one of numerous small, slender
moths, belonging to the family Pterophorid[ae]. Most of
them have the wings deeply divided into two or more
plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the
grapevine.
Plume nutmeg (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree
(Atherosperma moschata), whose numerous carpels are
tipped with long plumose persistent styles.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Heron \Her"on\, n. [OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF.
hairon, F. h['e]ron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan.
heire, Sw. h[aum]ger, and also G. h[aum]her jay, jackdaw,
OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G.
reiher, AS. hr[=a]gra. Cf. Aigret, Egret.] (Zool.)
Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of
the family Ardeid[ae]. The herons have a long, sharp bill,
and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe
toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is
remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was
formerly hunted with the larger falcons.
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Note: There are several common American species; as, the
great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue
(Ardea c[oe]rulea); the green (Ardea virescens);
the snowy (Ardea candidissima); the night heron or
qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons
are called egrets.
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Heron's bill (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erodium; -- so
called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the
head and beak of the heron.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Egret \E"gret\, n. [See Aigret, Heron.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) The name of several species of herons which
bear plumes on the back. They are generally white. Among
the best known species are the American egret (Ardea
egretta syn. Herodias egretta); the great egret (Ardea
alba); the little egret (Ardea garzetta), of Europe;
and the American snowy egret (Ardea candidissima).
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A bunch of egrets killed for their plumage. --G. W.
Cable.
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2. A plume or tuft of feathers worn as a part of a headdress,
or anything imitating such an ornament; an aigrette.
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3. (Bot.) The flying feathery or hairy crown of seeds or
achenes, as the down of the thistle.
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4. (Zo["o]l.) A kind of ape.
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