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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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No Dice (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "No Dice"?
The term "no dice" means "no deal" or "not possible." It is typically a refusal to a proposition or an offer.
Examples of Use:
- We tried to have the wedding in the hotel where we met but no dice.
- She wanted to catch the bus on her own, but her parents said no dice.
- You want to swap go-karts for the next race? No dice!
Example of use:
- You want to trade Luke Skywalker for Yoda? No dice. (In this example, "no dice" is a refusal to an offer.)
- You want me to make dinner again? No dice. (Here, "no dice" is a refusal to a proposition.)
- I thought I could catch a train after the game but no dice. They stop running at 7 o'clock. (Here, "no dice" simply means "not possible.")
This extract from a 1921 Texas newspaper, "The Port Arthur Daily News," captures this idea perfectly:
- It's "no dice" when the bones can't be found, according to a local court decision. Six white men arrested Tuesday by Officer W D Moore and charged with gaming with dice.
"Did you see them shooting dice?" queried the city attorney.
"No, I did not see the dice," said the officer.
(This case was subsequently thrown out of court. Of interest, "bones" is a common metonym for dice as dice are often made from bone.)
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