| 释义 |
half-dozen, half-a-dozen
The half of a dozen; six (or about six). Const.: see dozen.
a.1829T. L. Peacock Misfort. of Elphin vi, Some half-dozen..forgers. 1855Thackeray Newcomes I. 7 Pointing out a half dozen of people in the room. 1865Derby Mercury 15 Feb., I..might have laid hold of some half-dozen at least. Mod. Would you like another half-dozen?
b.c1401Jack Upland in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 69 The cloith of oo man Myȝte hele half a doseyne. 1420–1555 [see dozen n. 1]. 1648Gage West Ind. 12 He offered unto me halfe a dozen of Spanish pistols. Ibid. 80 Halfe a dozen Hollanders leapt into the boat after him. 1711Addison Spect. No. 1. ⁋5 Half a dozen of my select Friends. 1843Borrow Bible in Spain 145 We came suddenly upon half-a-dozen fellows, armed with muskets.
Hence half-dozenth a. colloq., sixth.
1840[see dozenth]. 1892Eng. Illustr. Mag. IX. 665 The first or second or half-dozenth attempt. |