make hay while the sun shines

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to take advantage of favourable conditions while they last

Why this phrase?

Hay must be cut and dried in the sunshine; wait too long and the rain ruins it — opportunity is pictured as weather that turns.

Example

“Sales are booming, so we should make hay while the sun shines.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

better late than never Neutral · CEFR A2

Doing something after a delay is better than not doing it at all.

miss the boat Informal · CEFR B1

To lose a chance to do something by being too slow or late.

the early bird catches the worm Neutral · CEFR B1

Those who act promptly have the best chance of success.

strike while the iron is hot Neutral · CEFR B2

to act quickly while the opportunity exists

a stitch in time saves nine Neutral · CEFR C1

Fixing a small problem early prevents a much bigger one later.

actions speak louder than words Neutral · CEFR B1

What you do matters more than what you say.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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