dozen (redirected from talking nineteen to the dozen)

(a) dime a dozen

Fig. abundant; cheap and common. People who can write good books are not a dime a dozen. Romantic movies are a dime a dozen.

See also: dime

a baker's dozen

thirteen. (Bakers often added an extra item to an order for a dozen.) We ended up with a baker's dozen each of socks and undershirts on our shopping trip.

by the dozen

in groups of 12. (Compare this with by the dozens.) Eggs are normally sold by the dozen.

by the dozens

Fig. many; by some fairly large, indefinite number. (Similar to but implying less than hundreds. Compare this with by the dozen.) Just then people began showing up by the dozens. I baked cookies and pies by the dozens for the charity bake sale.

daily dozen

Fig. physical exercises done every day. My brother always feels better after his daily dozen. She would rather do a daily dozen than go on a diet.

See also: daily

It's six of one, half a dozen of another.

Cliché Two options are equivalent. To get downtown, we can either take the highway or the side streets. It's six of one, half a dozen of another, since both routes take the same amount of time. Jill: Would you rather peel the carrots or wash the lettuce? Jane: It's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

See also: another, half, six

nineteen to the dozen

Prov. very rapidly or energetically. Whenever I get together with my cousins, we always gossip away nineteen to the dozen. While Alan got the other ingredients, Jane was chopping up potatoes nineteen to the dozen.

six of one and half a dozen of the other

Fig. about the same one way or another. It doesn't matter to me which way you do it. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other. What difference does it make? They're both the same—six of one and half a dozen of the other.

See also: and, half, one, other, six

---

a baker's dozen  (old-fashioned)

thirteen The judges selected a baker's dozen of promising entries from the hundreds they received.

be a dime a dozen  (American & Australian informal)

to be common and not have much value Romantic novels like these are a dime a dozen.

See also: dime

by the dozen

if something is being produced by the dozen, large numbers of that thing are being produced The government is producing new policies by the dozen.

nineteen/ten to the dozen  (British & Australian informal)

if someone is talking nineteen to the dozen, they are talking very fast, without stopping Gaby was chatting away nineteen to the dozen behind me and I couldn't concentrate.

six of one and half a dozen of the other

if you say that a bad situation is six of one and half a dozen of the other, you mean that two people or groups are equally responsible Harriet's always accusing Donald of starting arguments, but if you ask me, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

See also: and, half, one, other, six

---

a dime a dozen

commonly available Remember, editors are a dime a dozen, so if she causes trouble, fire her.

See also: dime

by the dozen

in large numbers He would sit all day in the dark watching videos by the dozen.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of by the dozen (in groups of twelve)

half a dozen

a few of something I've got half a dozen fishing poles that I never use.

Usage notes: used when the exact number is not important

See also: half

six of one, (and) half a dozen of the other

two things are almost the same or equal I also compared the two stereos, and in most respects it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Etymology: based on the idea that half a dozen ( half of 12) is equal to six

See also: half, other, six