baker（n.）
古英语单词 bæcere 指"面包师，特指烘焙面包的人"，是来自于单词 bacan，意为"烘焙"（参见单词 bake (v.)）。与荷兰语 bakker 、德语 Bäcker 、Becker 意思相同。在中世纪，这项手艺有两个分支， braun-bakeres 和 whit-bakeres。
White bakers shall bake no hors brede..broune bakers shall bake whete brede as it comyth grounde fro the mylle withoute ony bultyng of the same. Also the seid broune bakers shall bake hors brede of clene benys and pesyn, And also brede that is called housholdersbrede. [Letterbook in the City of London Records Office, Guildhall, 1441]
白面包师不得烤马肉面包… 棕色面包师要烤纯小麦面包，从磨房磨出来的，不加筛选。此外，这些棕色面包师还要烤纯豌豆和豌豆面包以及所谓的家庭主妇面包。 ——1441年伦敦市记录办公室、市政厅档案中的信件
Baker's dozen 指"十三"，出现于1590年代。
These dealers [hucksters] ... on purchasing their bread from the bakers, were privileged by law to receive thirteen batches for twelve, and this would seem to have been the extent of their profits. Hence the expression, still in use, "A baker's dozen." [H.T. Riley, "Liber Albus," 1859]
这些商贩（小贩）从面包师那里购买面包，根据法律规定，他们可以用12份的价钱获得13份面包，这似乎就是他们的利润了。因此，现在仍常用的表达"面包师的一打"便由此而来。——H.T.莱利（"Liber Albus,"），1859年
但是布鲁尔（Brewer）说，这个习俗起源于当时严格惩罚短斤少两的时代，面包师为了避免被罚款，便会多给一些面包。
Baker, to spell, an expression for attempting anything difficult. In old spelling-books, baker was the first word of two syllables, and when a child came to it, he thought he had a hard task before him. [Barrère and Leland, "A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant," 1897].
"Baker, to spell"，用于表示尝试任何困难的事情。在旧的拼写书中， baker 是两个音节的第一个单词，当孩子们遇到它时，会觉得这是一项艰难的任务。——巴雷尔和莱兰（Barrère and Leland），1897年，《流行语、黑话和隐语词典》。