ne'er cast a clout till May be out

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: cast not a clout till May be out

Meaning · English

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

Examples

Leave not off a Clout, / Till May be out.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ne'er cast a clout till May be out” mean?

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

Is “ne'er cast a clout till May be out” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.