baker's dozen

Definition

Thirteen; a group of thirteen.

Etymology

Possibly from the former practice of bakers adding a thirteenth loaf of bread to a batch of twelve loaves in order to avoid punishment for accidentally selling underweight bread.

Example Sentences

• "[L]et him caſt his Eye upon the laſt Page of that Book, where Mr. Blount has tranſlated a Quotation out of Scaliger de Emend. brought by the Author of the Præadamitæ; now he tranſlates Octingenties octagies, not eight hundred and eighty, but eight hundred and eightſcore; as if the Romans had uſed to reckon by ſcores. He might altogether as well, have made them number by Bakers-Dozens."
• "A Baker's Dozen, Treize dans la Douzaine."
• "What! though by accident we've loſt / Of provinces a baker's dozen; / More bleſſings has our King produc'd, / By our good Queen his German couſin—"