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REFERENCE

twenty to the dozen

idiom
Meaning

very fast, fluently


Origin

disputed origin

As if saying twenty words to another's dozen.

Examples
SIMPLE

She talks twenty to the dozen when she is excited.

CONTEXTUAL

My sister was so nervous about her interview that she spoke twenty to the dozen the entire time.

COMPLEX

The auctioneer spoke twenty to the dozen, his rapid-fire delivery keeping the crowd engaged as the prices climbed higher and higher.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a dime a dozen

    So common as to be practically or almost worthless.

  2. 02

    baker's dozen

    Thirteen; a group of thirteen.

  3. 03

    baker's half dozen

    Seven, a group of seven.

  4. 04

    banker's dozen

    Eleven.

  5. 05

    cheaper by the dozen

    Handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

  6. 06

    decimal dozen

    Ten, a group of ten.

  7. 07

    six of one, half a dozen of the other

    The two alternatives are equivalent or indifferent; it does not matter which one is chosen.

  8. 08

    twenty winks

    A very short sleep, half as long as forty winks.

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