Botany Bay dozen
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
25 lashes, i.e. strokes of a whip across a person's back as a punishment.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
Australian English
Examples
If guilty, he is taken to a cart-wheel to receive a Botany Bay dozen, which is twenty-five lashes ;[…].
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “Botany Bay dozen” mean?
25 lashes, i.e. strokes of a whip across a person's back as a punishment.
Is “Botany Bay dozen” formal or informal?
Botany Bay dozen is generally slang.