ne'er cast a clout til May be out

English

Etymology

Clout refers to its archaic sense for a cloth or clothing. May could refer to the month or the blossom that accompanies it. Ne'er is a contraction of never.

Proverb

ne'er cast a clout til May be out

1. Do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June, as there is often a sudden cold snap in May.

Translations

advice not to change from winter clothes

• French: en avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil, en mai fais ce qu’il te plaît (fr)
• Italian: aprile, non ti scoprire; maggio, adagio adagio; giugno, allarga il pugno
• Russian: первая ла́сточка весны не делает (pervaja lástočka vesny ne delajet) (the first swallow doesn't make spring to come)