353:
410:, when selling certain goods, bakers were obliged to sell goods by the dozen at a specific weight or quality (or a specific average weight). During this time, bakers who sold a dozen units that failed to meet this requirement could be penalized with a fine. Therefore, to avoid risking this penalty, some bakers included an extra unit to be sure the minimum weight was met, bringing the total to 13 units or what is now commonly known as a baker's dozen. The thirteenth piece of bread is called the
27:
432:, "a Baker's Dozen is Thirteen; that number of rolls being allowed to the purchaser of a dozen". However, contrary to most sources, according to the anonymous 1785 version of that dictionary, which was probably also by Grose, "a Baker's Dozen is Fourteen, that number of rolls being allowed to the purchaser of a dozen".
445:
A lesser-used regionalism is the Texas dozen, which generally consists of 15. This is typically used only in Texas and surrounding areas for such goods as flowers or baked goods, although can be applied to anything that is counted, such as photographs.
421:, the term "baker's dozen" originated in the late 16th century and is "apparently so called after the former practice among bakers of including a thirteenth loaf when selling a dozen to a retailer, the extra loaf representing the retailer's profit."
340:) a tithing, or group of ten households — dating from the earlier English system of grouping households into tens and hundreds for the purposes of law, order and mutual surety (see
586:
172:
867:
124:
dozen. Dozen may also be used to express a moderately large quantity as in "several dozen" (e.g., dozens of people came to the party).
403:
today is simply a group of thirteen objects (often baked goods). The term has meant different things over the last few centuries.
557:
368:"six of one, half a dozen of the other" means two options are of equal worth so choosing one is the same as choosing the other.
53:
The dozen may be one of the earliest primitive integer groupings, perhaps because there are approximately a dozen cycles of the
957:
730:
611:
512:
661:
636:
906:
782:
713:
377:
881:
811:
590:
587:"Douzain, Douzaine, Douze, Douze-huit, Douzième, Douzièmement, Dox(o)-, Doxographe, Doxologie, Doyen"
418:
127:
Varying by country, some products are packaged or sold by the dozen, often foodstuff (a dozen eggs).
995:
302:
442:
The term has also jokingly been described as "A dozen and the baker made one extra for himself."
70:
755:
20:
828:
770:
846:
73:
among the numbers up to its double, a property only true of 1, 2, 6, 12, 60, 360, and 2520.
1000:
873:
8:
974:
703:
460:
990:
902:
877:
807:
800:
778:
709:
565:
204:
234:
136:
352:
178:
148:
731:"Grammar 101: Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other » Beyond the Rhetoric"
518:
984:
922:
465:
429:
109:
101:
411:
117:
97:
93:
502:
Longman
Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2013, Procter, Paul 1408267667
396:
121:
113:
105:
89:
85:
47:
217:), a suffix also used to form other words with similar meanings such as
77:
26:
532:
455:
229:(a group of one hundred), etc. These French words have synonymous
108:, a term most often used when shipping or buying items in bulk. A
436:
407:
341:
230:
207:
833:, vol. 36, Clissold Publishing Company, 1921, p. 562
365:
195:
58:
777:. Vol. 12. Oxford University Press. 2011. p. 392.
344:). In some texts this 'dizeyne' may be rendered as 'dozen'.
485:
66:
54:
62:
163:"Assemblage de choses de même nature au nombre de douze"
399:, one more than a standard dozen. The broadest use of
364:" means six (6) of something, as 6 is half of 12. The
267:, Portuguese "dúzia", Persian dowjin "دوجین", Arabic
439:
way, as "twelve of today's and one of yesterday's."
376:"Baker's dozen" redirects here. For other uses, see
274:
799:
279:), Turkish "düzine", Hindi darjan "दर्जन", German
775:Concise Oxford English Dictionary: Luxury Edition
76:The use of twelve as a base number, known as the
982:
708:. London: Methuen & Co. pp. 121–122.
940:
921:
325:(as in "a dozen times", "dozens of people").
292:
177:). This French word is a derivation from the
328:A confusion may arise with the Anglo-Norman
280:
268:
258:
170:
943:A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar tongue
286:
198:
169:), as defined in the eighth edition of the
167:A group of twelve things of the same nature
927:Classical Dictionary of the vulgar tongue
901:(3rd ed.), Oxford University Press,
896:
426:Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
872:. London: Cassel and Co. 2000. pp.
702:Lee, William Lauriston Melville (1901).
351:
69:. Twelve is convenient because it has a
25:
869:Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
797:
983:
589:. Patrimoine de France. Archived from
104:, the duodecimal 1,000) are called a
844:
771:"devil – phrases: the devil's dozen"
728:
668:(in Spanish). Real Academia Española
643:(in Spanish). Real Academia Española
618:(in Spanish). Real Academia Española
435:The term has also been defined in a
173:Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
802:Webster's II New College Dictionary
701:
269:
13:
14:
1012:
975:History of the term Baker's dozen
968:
929:(unabridged ed.), p. 18
371:
356:Half a dozen chargrilled oysters
950:
934:
915:
890:
860:
838:
820:
791:
763:
747:
722:
695:
679:
347:
757:Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary
705:A History of Police in England
654:
629:
604:
579:
550:
525:
505:
496:
478:
378:Baker's dozen (disambiguation)
301:, are also used as indefinite
1:
471:
847:"Why Is a Baker's Dozen 13?"
806:, Houghton Mifflin Company,
729:Kwan, Michael (2012-08-23).
564:. Ask Oxford. Archived from
130:
7:
449:
275:
10:
1017:
562:Oxford Dictionaries Online
375:
71:maximal number of divisors
30:A box of a dozen doughnuts
18:
899:Oxford English Dictionary
897:Stevenson, Angus (2010),
849:. Encyclopædia Britannica
419:Oxford English Dictionary
100:; and twelve gross (12 =
143:comes from the old form
941:Francis Grose (1785) ,
424:According to the 1811
357:
293:
287:
281:
259:
221:(a group of fifteen),
199:
171:
92:). Twelve dozen (12 =
38:(commonly abbreviated
31:
21:Dozen (disambiguation)
827:"The Baker's Dozen",
568:on September 26, 2007
355:
225:(a group of twenty),
29:
16:Group of twelve items
521:on December 10, 2006
61:, in a cycle of the
19:For other uses, see
735:Beyond the Rhetoric
461:Fourteener (poetry)
46:) is a grouping of
845:Eldridge, Alison.
830:The Baker's Helper
688:English Dictionary
358:
112:, also known as a
32:
977:The Phrase Finder
754:"devil's dozen",
666:Diccionario Usual
641:Diccionario Usual
616:Diccionario Usual
539:. Merriam-Webster
417:According to the
156:a group of twelve
96:) are known as a
84:), originated in
1008:
962:
961:
954:
948:
946:
938:
932:
930:
919:
913:
911:
894:
888:
887:
864:
858:
857:
855:
854:
842:
836:
834:
824:
818:
816:
805:
798:Webster (1999),
795:
789:
788:
767:
761:
760:
751:
745:
744:
742:
741:
726:
720:
719:
699:
693:
691:
683:
677:
676:
674:
673:
658:
652:
651:
649:
648:
633:
627:
626:
624:
623:
608:
602:
601:
599:
598:
583:
577:
576:
574:
573:
554:
548:
547:
545:
544:
529:
523:
522:
517:, archived from
509:
503:
500:
494:
493:
486:"A072938 - OEIS"
482:
324:
321:
318:
314:
311:
308:
296:
290:
284:
278:
272:
271:
262:
202:
193:
190:
187:
176:
160:
157:
154:
80:system (also as
1016:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1006:
1005:
996:Units of amount
981:
980:
971:
966:
965:
958:"Texas Monthly"
956:
955:
951:
939:
935:
920:
916:
909:
895:
891:
884:
866:
865:
861:
852:
850:
843:
839:
826:
825:
821:
814:
796:
792:
785:
769:
768:
764:
753:
752:
748:
739:
737:
727:
723:
716:
700:
696:
685:
684:
680:
671:
669:
660:
659:
655:
646:
644:
635:
634:
630:
621:
619:
610:
609:
605:
596:
594:
585:
584:
580:
571:
569:
556:
555:
551:
542:
540:
537:Free Dictionary
531:
530:
526:
511:
510:
506:
501:
497:
484:
483:
479:
474:
452:
381:
374:
350:
322:
319:
316:
312:
309:
306:
253:, etc. English
191:
188:
185:
179:cardinal number
158:
155:
152:
133:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1014:
1004:
1003:
998:
993:
979:
978:
970:
969:External links
967:
964:
963:
949:
933:
914:
907:
889:
882:
859:
837:
819:
812:
790:
783:
762:
746:
721:
714:
694:
686:"meaning #4",
678:
653:
628:
603:
578:
549:
524:
504:
495:
476:
475:
473:
470:
469:
468:
463:
458:
451:
448:
373:
370:
349:
346:
165:(translation:
132:
129:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1013:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
988:
986:
976:
973:
972:
960:. April 1980.
959:
953:
944:
937:
928:
924:
923:Francis Grose
918:
910:
908:9780191727665
904:
900:
893:
885:
879:
875:
871:
870:
863:
848:
841:
832:
831:
823:
815:
809:
804:
803:
794:
786:
784:9780199601110
780:
776:
772:
766:
759:
758:
750:
736:
732:
725:
717:
715:9780875851198
711:
707:
706:
698:
689:
682:
667:
663:
657:
642:
638:
632:
617:
613:
607:
593:on 2011-09-29
592:
588:
582:
567:
563:
559:
553:
538:
534:
528:
520:
516:
515:
508:
499:
491:
487:
481:
477:
467:
466:Dozens (game)
464:
462:
459:
457:
454:
453:
447:
443:
440:
438:
433:
431:
430:Francis Grose
427:
422:
420:
415:
413:
409:
404:
402:
401:baker's dozen
398:
394:
390:
389:devil's dozen
386:
385:baker's dozen
379:
372:Baker's dozen
369:
367:
363:
354:
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
326:
304:
300:
295:
289:
283:
277:
266:
261:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
209:
206:
201:
197:
183:
180:
175:
174:
168:
164:
151:word meaning
150:
146:
142:
138:
128:
125:
123:
119:
115:
111:
110:great hundred
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
74:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
51:
49:
45:
41:
37:
28:
22:
952:
945:, p. 19
942:
936:
926:
917:
898:
892:
868:
862:
851:. Retrieved
840:
829:
822:
801:
793:
774:
765:
756:
749:
738:. Retrieved
734:
724:
704:
697:
687:
681:
670:. Retrieved
665:
656:
645:. Retrieved
640:
631:
620:. Retrieved
615:
606:
595:. Retrieved
591:the original
581:
570:. Retrieved
566:the original
561:
552:
541:. Retrieved
536:
527:
519:the original
513:
507:
498:
489:
480:
444:
441:
434:
425:
423:
416:
412:vantage loaf
405:
400:
392:
388:
384:
382:
362:half a dozen
361:
360:The phrase "
359:
348:Half a dozen
337:
333:
329:
327:
310:about twelve
298:
264:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
226:
222:
218:
214:
213:(from Latin
210:
181:
166:
162:
144:
140:
134:
126:
81:
75:
52:
43:
39:
35:
33:
1001:12 (number)
303:quantifiers
297:and Polish
114:small gross
106:great gross
90:sexagesimal
86:Mesopotamia
985:Categories
883:0304350966
853:2022-11-30
813:0395962145
740:2022-11-16
672:2011-10-28
647:2011-10-28
622:2011-10-28
597:2011-10-28
572:2013-01-31
543:2011-10-28
472:References
393:long dozen
291:, Italian
263:, Catalan
205:collective
203:) and the
88:(see also
78:duodecimal
925:(2007) ,
456:Lagniappe
257:, French
223:vingtaine
219:quinzaine
131:Etymology
991:Integers
690:, Oxford
612:"docena"
514:Bartleby
490:oeis.org
450:See also
332:(French
305:to mean
285:, Dutch
260:douzaine
247:veintena
243:quincena
231:cognates
227:centaine
200:duodĕcim
145:douzaine
558:"dozen"
533:"Dozen"
437:jocular
408:England
342:Tithing
338:dizaine
334:dixaine
330:dizeyne
294:dozzina
282:Dutzend
265:dotzena
251:centena
235:Spanish
194:, from
137:English
82:dozenal
905:
880:
810:
781:
712:
662:"-ena"
637:"doce"
288:dozijn
276:durzen
239:docena
208:suffix
189:twelve
149:French
59:months
48:twelve
428:, by
391:, or
366:idiom
299:tuzin
255:dozen
211:-aine
196:Latin
182:douze
141:dozen
139:word
116:, is
102:1,728
98:gross
65:, or
57:, or
36:dozen
903:ISBN
878:ISBN
874:1227
808:ISBN
779:ISBN
710:ISBN
320:many
270:درزن
215:-ēna
147:, a
135:The
67:year
55:Moon
406:In
395:is
336:or
315:or
233:in
122:ten
120:or
118:120
94:144
63:Sun
42:or
40:doz
987::
876:.
773:.
733:.
664:.
639:.
614:.
560:.
535:.
488:.
414:.
397:13
387:,
383:A
249:,
245:,
241:,
237::
50:.
44:dz
34:A
947:.
931:.
912:.
886:.
856:.
835:.
817:.
787:.
743:.
718:.
692:.
675:.
650:.
625:.
600:.
575:.
546:.
492:.
380:.
323:'
317:'
313:'
307:'
273:(
192:'
186:'
184:(
161:(
159:'
153:'
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.