Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A metrical pattern employing couplets in which the first line is in iambic hexameter and the second is in iambic heptameter.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
metre with alternate lines of 12 and 14 syllables, because it was said thatpoulters gave 12 eggs for the first dozen and 14 if you bought a second dozen.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[From obsolete poulter, a poultry dealer (from the practice of giving a few extra eggs in the dozen), from Middle English pulter, from Old French pouletier; see poultry.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
See Coined by George Gascoigne in 1576, See poulter & definition below.
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Examples
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ruzuzu commented on the word poulter's measure
Cf. baker's dozen.
October 26, 2011
hernesheir commented on the word poulter's measure
Thanks for poulter, zuzu - *yoinked* to my English occupational surname list.
October 26, 2011
ruzuzu commented on the word poulter's measure
I was hoping you'd see that. I tossed in that reference to baker's dozen for good measure.
October 26, 2011