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Origin documented
“A baker's dozen”
What it means
Thirteen rather than twelve.
Where it comes from
Under the Assize of Bread of 1266, a loaf sold at a fixed price had to meet a legal weight that rose and fell with the price of wheat. Selling short weight brought heavy fines and, for repeat offenders, the pillory.
How sure are we?
Well documented. Since flour moisture and oven heat were both unpredictable, bakers added a thirteenth loaf to every dozen as insurance against their own equipment rather than out of generosity.