Meaning
To seize an opportunity while conditions are favorable, acting fast before chances fade.
Origin
From 16th-century England, tied to haymaking; sun dried grass, rain ruined it-so 'make hay' meant now or never. John Heywood's 1546 proverb lists it. By the 19th century, Dickens' 1850 'David Copperfield' used it for timely effort, blending rural roots with Victorian carpe diem, a sturdy idiom of fleeting fortune.
Variants
- Hay while sun shines
- Make hay
Usage Examples
- Sales are up; make hay while the sun shines!
- He made hay while the sun shone, finishing before the storm.
- Make hay while the sun shines; apply while jobs are open.