cast not a clout


cast not a clout
Полное выражение выглядит как cast not a clout till May be out и означает, что не следует избавляться слишком рано от зимней одежды. Clout в этом контексте означает лоскут или тряпьё (ср. с немецким Kleid, т. е. предмет одежды). May — это боярышник, который цветёт в мае. Некоторые думают, что эта фраза говорит о том, что не нужно избавляться от любого предмета одежды до цветения боярышника; другие считают, что слово May в этой фразе имеет своё основное значение, т. е. обозначает последний месяц весны, и поэтому именно его наступление означает, что можно быть окончательно уверенным в том, что тепло наконец настало.

English-Russian dictionary of expressions. 2014.

Смотреть что такое "cast not a clout" в других словарях:

  • clout — n. & v. n. 1 a heavy blow. 2 colloq. influence, power of effective action esp. in politics or business. 3 dial. a piece of cloth or clothing (cast not a clout). 4 Archery hist. a piece of canvas on a frame, used as a mark. 5 a nail with a large… …   Useful english dictionary

  • clout — [OE] In Old English, a clout was a patch of cloth put over a hole to mend it. Hence in due course it came to be used simply for a ‘piece of cloth’, and by further extension for a ‘garment’ (as in ‘Ne’er cast a clout till May be out’). However,… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • clout — [OE] In Old English, a clout was a patch of cloth put over a hole to mend it. Hence in due course it came to be used simply for a ‘piece of cloth’, and by further extension for a ‘garment’ (as in ‘Ne’er cast a clout till May be out’). However,… …   Word origins

  • cast — see ne’er cast a clout till May be out coming events cast their shadows before old sins cast long shadows do not throw pearls to swine …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • ne’er cast a clout till May be out — A warning not to leave off old or warm clothes until the end of May. The proverb does not refer to May blossom, as is sometimes assumed. 1706 J. STEVENS Spanish & English Dict. s.v. Mayo, Hasta passado Mayo no te quites el sayo, Do not leave off… …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • ne'er cast a clout till May be out — ► ne er cast a clout till May be out proverb do not discard your winter clothes until the end of May. Main Entry: ↑clout …   English terms dictionary

  • force — 1 n 1: a cause of motion, activity, or change intervening force: a force that acts after another s negligent act or omission has occurred and that causes injury to another: intervening cause at cause irresistible force: an unforeseeable event esp …   Law dictionary

  • Indonesia — /in deuh nee zheuh, sheuh, zee euh, doh /, n. 1. See East Indies (def. 1). 2. Republic of. Formerly, Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies. a republic in the Malay Archipelago consisting of 13,677 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi,… …   Universalium

  • Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • japan — japanner, n. /jeuh pan /, n., adj., v., japanned, japanning. n. 1. any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces. 2. work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner. 3. Japans,… …   Universalium

  • Japan — /jeuh pan /, n. 1. a constitutional monarchy on a chain of islands off the E coast of Asia: main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. 125,716,637; 141,529 sq. mi. (366,560 sq. km). Cap.: Tokyo. Japanese, Nihon, Nippon. 2. Sea of, the… …   Universalium