to make fair weather
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To flatter, conciliate, make the best of things. But I must make fair weather yet awhile, Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong. 2 Henry VI, v, 1.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to make fair weather” mean?
To flatter, conciliate, make the best of things. But I must make fair weather yet awhile, Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong. 2 Henry VI, v, 1.
Is “to make fair weather” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.