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View synonyms for

dozen

1

[ duhz-uhn ]

noun

plural dozens, (as after a numeral) dozen.
  1. a group of 12.
  2. the dozens, Slang. a ritualized game typically engaged in by two persons each of whom attempts to outdo the other in insults directed against members of the other's family (usually used in the phrase play the dozens ).


adjective

dozen

2

[ doh-zuhn ]

verb (used with object)

Scot.
  1. to stun.

dozen

/ ˈʌə /

determiner

  1. preceded bya or a numeral
    1. twelve or a group of twelve

      a dozen eggs

      two dozen oranges

    2. ( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )

      give me a dozen

      there are at least a dozen who haven't arrived yet

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. by the dozen
    in large quantities
  2. talk nineteen to the dozen
    to talk without stopping
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈdzԳٳ, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dozen1

1250–1300; Middle English dozeine < Old French do ( u ) zaine, equivalent to do ( u ) ze (< Latin duodecim ) + -aine (< Latin ) -an

Origin of dozen2

1325–75; Middle English (Scots); doze 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dozen1

C13: from Old French douzaine, from douze twelve, from Latin duodecim, from duo two + decem ten
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There are more than a dozen notable waterfalls within an hour’s drive from town, said Mayor Michael Clarno, including Hedge Creek Falls, Burney Falls, Faery Falls and three sets of falls on the McCloud River.

From

That included a 10% across-the-board tariff on imports from every country, and even higher rates for dozens of countries, until they were temporarily suspended in early April.

From

She eventually released more than a dozen albums and sang with Dolly Parton.

From

District Judge William Orrick issued the injunction sought by San Francisco and more than a dozen other municipalities that limit cooperation with federal immigration efforts.

From

She has cooperated with Trump on several key measures, sending thousands of National Guard troops to fortify the northern border and transferring dozens of suspected cartel members wanted by the U.S.

From

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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dozeddozens