February fill dike, be it black or be it white; But if it be white, it's the better to like.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

The saying imagines February filling ditches with dark rainwater or white snow and favours the white form. It assigns value to contrasting winter conditions.

What the words are saying

Black and white make the expected precipitation visible through colour, while filling the ditch stresses quantity. The preference is the saying’s claim rather than verified guidance on which condition benefits a place. A useful interpretation identifies the contrast without assuming it supplies a forecast or explains every later outcome.

Everyday example

Someone studying winter rhymes identifies the colour contrast and asks what benefit the rhyme is merely implying.

When to use it

Use it to discuss the imagery of a seasonal preference.

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Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.