in-bread, n.
(ˈɪnbrɛd)
[f. in adv. + bread.]
Bread ‘thrown in’; the extra loaf or loaves allowed by a baker in each dozen. Cf. baker's dozen, s.v. baker 6.
| 1639 Bury Wills (Camden) 177 Fowre and twenty loaves of the said bread, w{supt}{suph} the inbread allowed by the baker for those twoe dosens of bread. a 1665 J. Goodwin Filled w. the Spirit (1867) 377 As that which we call the in-bread is given into the dozen, there is nothing properly paid or given for it, but only for the dozen. 1864 Hotten Slang Dict., Baker's dozen, this consists of thirteen or fourteen; the surplus number, called the inbread, being thrown in for fear of incurring the penalty for short weight. |