
ProverbWisdom
English origin1732
Ne'er cast a clout till May be out
Meaning: Delay removing winter clothing until late spring arrives to avoid illness from unexpected cold snaps.
Origin: Old English weather advice: do not shed a clout — a piece of clothing — until May is over. Some say "May" means the may blossom of the hawthorn, but early references make clear the month was meant. Thomas Fuller's Gnomologia (1732) is the earliest known printing of this form.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- 石頭 (Ishiatama) A stubborn, inflexible person who won't budge.
- Tu as du chien You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
- Tu as la tête sur les épaules You're grounded, sensible, and dependable — not easily swept off course.
Keep exploring