twelve

Meanings

1. 1
   num

   The cardinal number occurring after eleven and before thirteen, represented in Arabic numerals as 12 and in Roman numerals as XII.

   There are twelve months in a year.

2. 2
   noun

   A group of twelve items.

   Fractions would be a little easier if we counted by twelves.

3. 3
   noun

   A twelve-bore gun.

   In this way Von Esslin ‘inherited’ two fine hammerless twelves which he used once or twice for duck on the Camargue.

4. 4
   noun

   Front (front side of something, position in front of something).

   watch your twelve

5. 5
   adj

   denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units

6. 6
   noun

   the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

7. 7
   noun

   A jury (normally composed of twelve persons).

8. 8
   noun

   The police; law enforcement, especially a narcotics officer.

Etymology

From Middle English twelve, from Old English twelf (“twelve”), from Proto-Germanic *twalif, an old compound of *twa- (“two”) and *-lif (“left over”) (i.e., two left over after having already counted to ten), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“leave, remain”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian tweelf, tweelif, tweelich (“twelve”), West Frisian tolve (“twelve”), Dutch twaalf (“twelve”), German Low German twalf, twalv (“twelve”), German zwölf (“twelve”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian tolv (“twelve”), Icelandic tólf (“twelve”).