twelve

Everyday

1. Twelve is the number 12. It is one more than eleven. tree →
2. A dozen is twelve. A year has 12 months. tree →
3. A clock face shows 12 hours. tree →

In the lessons

Maths: a number; a dozen; hours on a clock; months in a year; inches in a foot (12); the twelve times table. Everyday: twelve o'clock is noon or midnight; eggs are sold by the dozen.

Examples

• There are twelve eggs in a box. tree →
• A year has twelve months. tree →
• He is twelve years old. tree →
• Twelve children came to the party. tree →
• A foot is twelve inches. tree →
• At twelve o'clock we have lunch. tree →
• A dozen roses is twelve roses. tree →
• Twelve can be shared equally by 2, 3, 4 and 6. tree →
• The twelve princesses went upstairs to bed. tree →

Note

A number written in words; read it as 12. «Dozen» also means 12. Trap: 12 o'clock in the day is noon (12 pm); at night it is midnight (12 am).

In Jewish tradition

Twelve is the number of Jacob's sons and so of the tribes of Israel.

Interpretation. Tradition links twelve to the tribes, and Sefer Yetzirah sees twelve "simple" letters matching the twelve months and the signs of the zodiac.

Examples

• and threescore and twelve thousand beeves, (Torah NUM.31.33, JPS 1917) tree →
• Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: (Torah GEN.35.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. (Torah GEN.14.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. (Writings 2CH.4.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• The children of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. (Writings EZR.2.18, JPS 1917) tree →
• The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve. (Writings NEH.7.24, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A number written in words; read it as 12. «Dozen» also means 12. Trap: 12 o'clock in the day is noon (12 pm); at night it is midnight (12 am).