February fill-dike

English

Alternative forms

• February fill-dyke, February fill dyke
• February fill dyke, be it black or be it white
• fill-dike, fill-dyke

Proper noun

February fill-dike

1. A rural appellation for the month of February, when rain or melting snow fills dykes with water.
   • 1837, William Hone, The every-day book and table-book; or, Everlasting calendar of popular amusements:

     Regarding the season, there is an old proverb worthy noticing: February fill dike, be it black or be it white.

   • 1851, Thomas Sternberg, The Dialect and Folk-lore of Northamptonshire:

     January white, February fill-dike.

   • 1997, Marion Kelsey, Victory Harvest: Diary of a Canadian in the Women's Land Army‎, page 174:

     Doris, in her terror, had forgotten that February fill-dike is upon us

Translations

rural appellation for the month of February

Russian: февра́ль-водоле́й m (fevrálʹ-vodoléj) Spanish: febrero, cebadero (Castilian, dated), lluvioso febrero, año cebadero (dated)

References

• OED 2nd edition 1989