a snowball's chance in hell

An infinitely small possibility, chance, or likelihood, to the point of being impossible. Usually used in the phrase "not have a snowball's chance in hell." That candidate doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning an election in this part of the state. We haven't got a snowball's chance in hell if we have to compete against some mega corporation like that! I knew I wouldn't have more than a snowball's chance in hell of getting in, but I sent in my application anyway.

have no more than a snowball's chance in hell

To be completely impossible or incredibly unlikely; to have no or very little chance (of something). That party doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning an election in this part of the state. I knew I wouldn't have more than a snowball's chance in hell of getting in, but I sent in my application anyway. Well, we have no more than a snowball's chance in hell if we have to compete against some mega corporation like that!

no more than a snowball's chance in hell

Not any possibility, chance, or likelihood whatsoever. Your candidate has no more than a snowball's chance in hell of winning an election in these parts. I knew there was no more than a snowball's chance in hell that they would go for my proposal, but I felt like I had to at least try.

not a cat in hell's chance

Absolutely no chance or possibility (of succeeding, coming to pass, or achieving something). There's not a cat in hell's chance of them getting into the playoffs this year. There isn't a cat in hell's chance that they'll convict him—he's too rich and powerful!

not a snowball's chance in hell

Not any possibility, chance, or likelihood whatsoever. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that he would win an election in this part of the state. A: "Hey, Dad, do you think I could borrow the car for the weekend?" B: "Ha! Not a snowball's chance in hell!"

not have a (snowball's) chance in hell

To be completely impossible or incredibly unlikely; to have no chance whatsoever. Often followed by "of." That party doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning an election in this part of the state. We don't have a chance in hell of catching up to their score.

snow

slang Cocaine. Hey man, can you score me some snow for this weekend? I dabbled a bit with snow when I was in college, but I mostly just stick to pot.

snowball effect

A situation in which the results or consequences of an action grow at an increasingly faster rate over time. Once the video game hit the market, word of mouth caused a snowball effect that made it the most popular and top grossing game of all time. She ignored her debt for so long that now, she's experiencing a snowball effect that threatens to crush her financially.

snowball into (something)

To develop quickly and progressively into something bigger, more complex, more difficult, more dangerous, etc. This whole situation could snowball into a national scandal if the press gets wind of it. It started out as an idea for a short story, but I just kept adding details and characters and plot twists to it until it snowballed into a full-blown novel.

not have a snowball's chance in hell and not a hope in hell

Inf. a very poor chance. (Usually in the negative.) She doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting it done on time. I know I don't have a hope in hell, but I'll try anyway.

See also: and, chance, have, hell, hope, not

snowball into something

Fig. [for something] to become larger or more serious by growing like a snowball being rolled. This whole problem is snowballing into a crisis very rapidly. The argument soon snowballed into a full-blown riot.

snowball's chance in hell, a

No chance at all, as in He hasn't a snowball's chance in hell of getting there in two hours. This idiom, nearly always used negatively, alludes to the traditional view of hell as extremely hot, causing snow to melt at once. [Late 1800s]

not a cat in hell's chance

not a snowball's chance in hell

BRITISH, SPOKEN

COMMON If there is not a cat in hell's chance or not a snowball's chance in hell of someone doing something or of something happening, there is no chance at all that they will do it or it will happen. We haven't a cat in hell's chance of raising the money by the Friday deadline. Do you seriously think he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning this election? Note: You can also say that someone does not have a chance in hell of doing something. They don't have a chance in hell of privatising the economy. They have no idea how a free market works. Note: The original expression was `as much chance as a cat in hell without claws'.

not a cat in hell's chance

no chance at all. informal

This expression is often shortened to not a cat's chance .

2001 James Hamilton-Paterson Loving Monsters There isn't, of course, a cat in hell's chance that I shall ever see 1999 as you, I and Dr Faruli know perfectly well.

not have a ˌsnowball’s chance in ˈhell (of doing something)

(informal) have no chance at all of doing something: Look at this traffic! I’m afraid we haven’t got a snowball’s chance in hell of getting to the airport in time. OPPOSITE: a sporting chance

This idiom refers to the belief that hell is a place of fire.

snow

1. n. deceitful talk; deception. All I heard for an hour was snow. Now, what’s the truth?

2. tv. to attempt to deceive someone. (see also snowed.) You can try to snow me if you want, but I’m onto your tricks.

3. and snowball and snowflakes and snow stuff n. a powdered or crystalline narcotic: morphine, heroin, or cocaine. (Now almost always the latter.) The price of snow stuff has come down a lot as South America exports more of it.

snowball

verb

See snow

snowball

1. in. to grow at an increasing rate. (As a snowball rolling down a hill might increase in size.) Offers to help with money and prayers began to snowball, and we had to get volunteers to help answer the phones.

2. Go to snow.

snowball’s chance in hell

n. a very poor chance. (Usually in the negative.) She doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting it done on time.

snowball's chance in hell, no more than/not a

No chance at all. The hell in question, of course, is the fabulously hot place of tradition. This term appears to have replaced the earlier no more chance than a cat in hell without claws, an eighteenth-century locution that, according to Grose’s Dictionary, was applied to a person quarreling with or fighting against a much stronger opponent. The current cliché comes from late nineteenth-century America; in Britain and other English-speaking countries it is sometimes put as a snowflake’s chance in hell. See also Chinaman's chance.