Pure as the driven snow
Meaning
To be completely innocent, chaste, or morally undefiled, like fresh, untouched snow.
Origin
The powerful image of snow as a symbol of ultimate purity is ancient, but the specific phrase 'pure as the driven snow' found its footing and popularization in the English language through literary usage. The word 'driven' refers to snow that has been blown by the wind into pristine, untouched drifts, presenting a vast, unblemished canvas of white. This potent visual metaphor, signifying ultimate cleanliness and innocence, was notably embraced by William Shakespeare, who penned phrases like 'whiter than driven snow' in Hamlet (c. 1600). His influential use cemented this vivid imagery into the English lexicon, establishing it as a timeless benchmark for moral and physical flawlessness.
Examples
- Despite the accusations, she maintained her innocence, claiming to be pure as the driven snow.
- The old storyteller often described the untouched wilderness as pure as the driven snow, before human interference.