Playing the dozens is an African-American custom in which two competitors -- usually males -- go head to head in a competition of comedic trash talk. They take turns "cracking on," or insulting, one another, their adversary's mother or other family member until one of them has no comeback. In the U.S., the practice can be traced back to chattel slavery, when violence among slaves was a property crime with potentially draconian consequences. Verbal sparring became a substitute for physical contention. While the competition on its face is usually light-hearted, smiles sometimes mask real tensions.
The dozens can be a harmless game, or, if tempers flare, a prelude to physical violence. But in its purest form, the dozens is part of an African-American custom of verbal sparring, of "woofin'" (see wolf ticket) and "signifyin'," intended to defuse conflict amicably, descended from an oral tradition rooted in traditional West African cultures. The dozens is a contest of personal power -- of wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental agility and mental toughness. Defeat can be humiliating; but a skilled contender, win or lose, may gain respect.
"Yo' mama," a common, widely recognized argumentative rejoinder in African-Amercan vernacular speech, is a cryptic reference to the dozens.
The term "the dozens" refers to the devaluing on the auctionblock of slaves who were past their prime, who were aged or who, after years of back-breaking toil, no longer were capable of hard labor. These enslaved human beings often were sold by the dozen.
(My wording from Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.)
The dozens can be a harmless game, or, if tempers flare, a prelude to physical violence. But in its purest form, the dozens is part of an African-American custom of verbal sparring, of "woofin'" (see wolf ticket) and "signifyin'," intended to defuse conflict amicably, descended from an oral tradition rooted in traditional West African cultures. The dozens is a contest of personal power -- of wit, self-control, verbal ability, mental agility and mental toughness. Defeat can be humiliating; but a skilled contender, win or lose, may gain respect.
"Yo' mama," a common, widely recognized argumentative rejoinder in African-Amercan vernacular speech, is a cryptic reference to the dozens.
The term "the dozens" refers to the devaluing on the auctionblock of slaves who were past their prime, who were aged or who, after years of back-breaking toil, no longer were capable of hard labor. These enslaved human beings often were sold by the dozen.
(My wording from Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.)
by deeceevoice September 25, 2004
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Get the eleven short of a dozen mug.Instead of the regular baker's dozen of 13, this equals 11 based on the rationale that a baker would eat one item from his batch instead of adding an extra one to it.
"When I opened up the box of donuts I thought they forgot to put one in but really they were just giving me an Litos Baker's Dozen. Boy was I pissed!"
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Get the faker's dozen mug.A quantity of eleven (11). It comes from the TV show COPS, where the description is a dozen minus the one that the tweaker kept for himself. Usually in reference to ounces of drugs.
The drug dealer showed up with a tweaker's dozen of meth. His behavior made it obvious where the other ounce of meth was.
by Narfmaster July 5, 2008
Get the tweaker's dozen mug.1. The thing you always died of in The Oregon Trail.
2. An inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract, usually caused by a bacterial, parasitic, or protozoan infection and resulting in pain, fever, and severe diarrhea, often accompanied by the passage of blood and mucus.
2. An inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract, usually caused by a bacterial, parasitic, or protozoan infection and resulting in pain, fever, and severe diarrhea, often accompanied by the passage of blood and mucus.
by Raym November 17, 2005
Get the dysentery mug.1. Unit of measurement: approximately 2 dozen, or 24.
2. A case of beer, traditionally of mid to high quality beer in glass bottles. A gentleman always brings enough to share, and a case should be enough to get a gentleman's posse buzzed.
2. A case of beer, traditionally of mid to high quality beer in glass bottles. A gentleman always brings enough to share, and a case should be enough to get a gentleman's posse buzzed.
1. -How many eggs should I get?
-A gentleman's dozen.
2. Could you pick up a gentleman's dozen for the party tonight?
-A gentleman's dozen.
2. Could you pick up a gentleman's dozen for the party tonight?
by ecnirP February 12, 2010
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