baker's dozen

baker's dozen
Meaning
Thirteen.
Origin
In the Middle Ages in England there were severe penalties for anyone who gave short weight. Bakers were often uneducated and unable to count. To guard against miscounting twelve as eleven they habitually gave thirteen loaves when selling a dozen.

Meaning and origin of phrases. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • baker's dozen — A Baker s dozen is 13 rather than 12 …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • baker's dozen — ► baker s dozen a group of thirteen. [ORIGIN: from the former bakers custom of adding an extra loaf to a dozen sold to a retailer.] Main Entry: ↑baker …   English terms dictionary

  • baker's dozen — n. thirteen: supposedly from bakers former practice of adding an extra roll to each dozen sold to avoid any risk of penalty for short measure …   English World dictionary

  • baker's dozen — n [singular] thirteen of something …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • baker's dozen — noun singular OLD FASHIONED 13 of something …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Baker's dozen — A baker s dozen, also known as a long dozen and a long measure , is 13, one more than a proper dozen. The expression found its genesis in 13th century England, when an Assize of Bread and Ale was introduced. Then, it was commonly called the long… …   Wikipedia

  • baker's dozen — noun the cardinal number that is the sum of twelve and one • Syn: ↑thirteen, ↑13, ↑XIII, ↑long dozen • Hypernyms: ↑large integer * * * noun [singular] old fashioned : thirteen of something a baker s dozen of books [=thirteen books] …   Useful english dictionary

  • baker's dozen — {n.}, {informal} Thirteen. * / How many of the jelly doughnuts, Sir? the salesclerk asked. Oh, make it a baker s dozen. / …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • baker's dozen — {n.}, {informal} Thirteen. * / How many of the jelly doughnuts, Sir? the salesclerk asked. Oh, make it a baker s dozen. / …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • baker's\ dozen — noun informal thirteen. How many of the jelly doughnuts, Sir? the salesclerk asked. Oh, make it a baker s dozen …   Словарь американских идиом

  • baker's dozen —    A Baker s dozen is 13 rather than 12.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

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