If the twenty-fourth of August be fair and clear, Then hope for a prosperous autumn that year.
If the twenty-fourth of August be fair and clear, Then hope for a prosperous autumn that year.
Meaning in plain English
The saying takes a fair, clear twenty-fourth of August as grounds for hope about the coming autumn. One day is made a sign of a much longer period.
Example
Someone comparing calendar sayings distinguishes the observation on one named day from the larger outcome it claims to predict.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The precise date gives a simple observation a broad predictive role. That is the rule expressed by the verse, not an independently verified relationship established here. A useful interpretation notices how certainty can be attached to a memorable calendar marker. It leaves the hoped-for season open and does not infer either a historical origin or an actual forecast from the wording.
When to use it
Use it to examine a date-based seasonal prediction as folklore.
Keep in mind
One day’s weather is not verified here as a predictor of the whole autumn.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-04. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 48 · August
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗