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• Make hay while the sun shines
  Make hay while the sun shines

  Take advantage of favorable circumstances; they may not last.
• make hay while the sun shines
  make hay while the sun shines

  Take advantage of favorable circumstances, as in Car sales have finally improved so we're making hay while the sun shines. This expression alludes to optimum dry weather for cutting grass. [Early 1500s]

Make hay while the sun shines

Cultural  

1. Take advantage of favorable circumstances; they may not last.

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make hay while the sun shines Idioms  

1. Take advantage of favorable circumstances, as in Car sales have finally improved so we're making hay while the sun shines. This expression alludes to optimum dry weather for cutting grass. [Early 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Make hay while the sun shines make hay while the sun shines

"Make hay while the sun shines," he replies.

From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2012

"Make hay while the sun shines, eh?" said he, with a chuckle.

From True To His Colors by Harry Castlemon

Make hay while the sun shines; use your eyes if you can't use your tongue.

From The Potiphar Papers by George William Curtis

"Strike while the iron is hot," and "Make hay while the sun shines," are golden maxims.

From Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden

Make hay while the sun shines, my dear," she said; "you may never have such another opportunity.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine No. XVI.?September, 1851?Vol. III. by Various

That matters because successful investors make hay while the sun shines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

They say you should make hay while the sun shines, and farmers have been doing just that.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025

The old saying is - make hay while the sun shines.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2018

"Long may it last -- let's make hay while the sun shines," he laughed.

From Reuters ● Jul. 1, 2015

These watering-place seasons are brief intervals, in which he must make hay while the sun shines.

From Arthur O'Leary His Wanderings And Ponderings In Many Lands by Charles James Lever