a banker's dozen
One less than a dozen, i.e., 11. A play on "a baker's dozen" (13 rather than 12), it refers to lending in which interest is deducted at the time of the loan, therefore yielding less than what the loan actually stipulated. A soccer team has a banker's dozen players on the field at any given time. I can't believe my grandparents had a banker's dozen of kids. My wife and I feel overwhelmed with just two kids! A: "Hey, I thought you said he gave you a baker's dozen, but there's only a banker's dozen here." B: "Yeah, I might have eaten two of them on my way home."
bankers' hours
A working day that is shorter than usual or acceptable, especially one that begins late and ends early. It refers to the traditional opening times for banks, which formerly opened at 10 AM and closed at 3 PM. With the boss out on vacation, some of us have been working bankers' hours for the past couple of weeks. You won't be able to reach her on a Saturday—she keeps bankers' hours. Getting a request for same-day service at 2 PM isn't a problem for us—we don't keep bankers' hours here.
colder than the shady side of a banker's heart
Very cold. You better bundle up—it's colder than the shady side of a banker's heart today. Ugh, the winters here are colder than the shady side of a banker's heart—that's why I'm moving to Florida. I wouldn't want to be trapped out in this weather tonight, it's colder than the shady side of a banker's heart!
emptier than a banker's heart
Containing nothing. Totally empty. We really need to go to the grocery store because our refrigerator is emptier than a banker's heart right now. If five people in your class are writing their paper on this same topic, you better check some books out from the library before those shelves are emptier than a banker's heart! I wish I could help you out, but I just got hit with a big medical bill. My bank account is currently emptier than a banker's heart.
keep banker's hours
To work for a period of time in the day that is shorter than is usual or acceptable, especially one that begins late and ends early. It refers to the traditionally short opening times for banks. Sometimes written as "keep bankers' hours." With the boss out on vacation, some of us have been keeping bankers' hours for the past couple of weeks. You won't be able to reach her after 3 PM—she has started keeping banker's hours recently.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
banker's hours
Fig. short work hours: 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. When did you start keeping banker's hours? There aren't many bankers who keep banker's hours these days.
emptier than a banker's heart
Rur. completely empty. My wallet was emptier than a banker's heart. His pockets were emptier than a banker's heart.
keep banker's hours
Fig. to work or be open for business for less than eight hours a day. The advertising agency keeps banker's hours. They are only open until four. James doesn't really work full-time. He keeps banker's hours.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.