AI for Breakfast

Post 144 - It’s the weekend - Idiom of the day

Flaming June

Figurative meaning

"Flaming June" refers to the hot, sunny, and often stiflingly warm weather typically experienced in June. The phrase evokes a sense of intense heat and bright sunshine, often associated with a classic summer month.

Typical usage

This idiom is often used to describe particularly hot weather in June, either fondly reminiscing or complaining about the heat.

For example:

• "Ah, another Flaming June! Time to hit the beach."
• "I'm not looking forward to Flaming June this year; the heat is unbearable."

Origin

The phrase "Flaming June" is closely associated with the famous painting of the same name by Sir Frederic Leighton. Created in 1895, the painting depicts a sleeping woman in a vivid orange dress, embodying the warmth and languor of a hot June day. This artwork has cemented the association of "Flaming June" with both the heat and the aesthetic beauty of early summer.

The term itself predates the painting and has Victorian roots, referring to the typically hot and sunny weather of June in the UK. During this period, it was common for people to take holidays by the sea or in the countryside to escape the heat, making "Flaming June" a term that evokes both the pleasure and discomfort of high summer.