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In The Sweeney , What does "Don't snow me" mean? something to with lieing?
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Living in the U.S., I'm not familiar with the source of the phrase, however a "snow job" and similar uses of the noun all refer to, as you suspect, being lied to or at least misled. The source seems to be the following: "c.1300, replacing O.E. sniwan, which would have yielded modern snew (which existed as a parallel form until 17c. and, in Yorkshire, even later), from the root of snow (n.).
"Also þikke as snow þat snew,
Or al so hail þat stormes blew."
[Robert Mannyng of Brunne, transl. Wace's "Chronicle," c.1330]
The figurative sense of "overwhelm" is 1880, Amer.Eng., in phrase to snow (someone) under. Snow job "strong, persistent persuasion in a dubious cause" is World War II armed forces slang, probably from the same metaphoric image." (Source: Online Etmology Dictionary)
"Also þikke as snow þat snew,
Or al so hail þat stormes blew."
[Robert Mannyng of Brunne, transl. Wace's "Chronicle," c.1330]
The figurative sense of "overwhelm" is 1880, Amer.Eng., in phrase to snow (someone) under. Snow job "strong, persistent persuasion in a dubious cause" is World War II armed forces slang, probably from the same metaphoric image." (Source: Online Etmology Dictionary)
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