Phrase guide

ne'er cast a clout till May be out

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /nɛə ˌkɑːst‿ə ˈklaʊt tɪl ˌmeɪ biː ˈaʊt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /nɛəɹ ˌkæst‿ə ˈklaʊt tɪl ˌmeɪ bi ˈaʊt/
  • rhymes with -aʊt

1

proverb

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, dialectal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Ne’er is a contraction of never, while clout is an archaic or dialectal word for a piece of clothing.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: fins al quaranta d'abril no et lleves un fil — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Catalan: per molt de sol que faça, no et lleves la capa — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Finnish: mitä Mariana katolla, sitä vappuna vaolla — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • French: en avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil, en mai fais ce qu’il te plaît — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Galician: en maio, aínda a vella queima o tallo — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Galician: ata o corenta de maio non quite-lo saio — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • German: man soll nicht zu früh Sommer machen — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Italian: april, aprilone, non mi rifai metter giù il pelliccione — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Italian: aprile, non ti scoprire; maggio, adagio adagio; giugno, allarga il pugno — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Polish: kwiecień plecień, bo przeplata trochę zimy, trochę lata — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Polish: do Świętego Ducha, nie zdejmuj kożucha — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Spanish: abriles y condes, los más traidores — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)
  • Spanish: si quieres criarte gordito y sano, la ropa del invierno gasta en verano — do not change from winter clothes to summer clothes until June (many are not direct translations but convey a similar sentiment)