pure as the driven snow
2
8.4
- idiom
- Literature
:
puro como la nieve caída
- Despite the harsh criticisms, her motives remained as pure as the driven snow throughout the process.
Examples
-
He spoke of his beliefs with a sincerity that made him seem as pure as the driven snow.
-
She's as pure as the driven snow.
-
She's as pure as the driven snow, as faithful as she is fair.
-
The charity worker's intentions were as pure as the driven snow, dedicated to helping those in need.
Synonyms
∞
2.2
Not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing
212
1.4
Morally good and not involved in sexual activity
89
5.3
Morally pure and without bad actions
4
6.3
Someone who has done nothing wrong
2
5.6
Not made dishonest by money or power
1
9.9
Honest and pure in actions and motives
Not spoiled and still pure in body or mind
Antonyms
How Innocent
Surface Forms
Morphology
pure + as + the + driven + snow
The simile cues purity via 'snow' (white/untainted), so a learner who knows 'pure' and 'snow' can infer a meaning of extreme cleanliness or innocence; however, 'driven' here is used in an older meteorological sense ('blown' or 'driven by wind') rather than the common sense 'motivated', making the phrase a somewhat literary/idiomatic expression. Because one constituent (driven) has a non-obvious sense and the full moral/figurative nuance is conventional, learners will often grasp the general idea but not the exact idiomatic force without prior exposure.
Etymology
Pure as the driven snow comes from the image of fresh snow blown by the wind, where the driven snow looks very white and untouched. So, to call someone pure as the driven snow means they are 'completely innocent' or morally untainted.