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haymaking

haymaking

8.4
Making the most of a short time of good conditions
  • noun
  • /ˈheɪˌmeɪkɪŋ/
  • Informal
translation icon : aprovechar la oportunidad
  • With the stock market booming, investors are haymaking while conditions are right.

Examples

  • The festival only comes to town once a year, so vendors are busy haymaking during the busy weekend.

  • Many companies are haymaking as consumer demand for their products temporarily spikes.

  • Start haymaking now!

  • Sarah excels at haymaking.

  • With the warm weather, many farmers are haymaking to make the most of the growing season.

  • As the holiday shopping season approaches, retailers are haymaking to boost their sales.

  • Real estate agents are haymaking during the housing market's peak to earn higher commissions.

Antonyms

Fail to use a chance to do something you want

Surface Forms

haymaking singular
haymakings plural

Morphology

haymaking = haymake (semi-transparent) = hay + make + ing

The phrase 'make hay while the sun shines' leads to the idiomatic meaning of 'haymaking' as taking advantage of opportunities.

Etymology

Haymaking also connects to the old saying 'make hay while the sun shines', which means 'take advantage of good conditions'. So haymaking can also mean taking full advantage of a chance while it lasts.