English Reference
Idiom idiom

no dice

Meaning

An unacceptable alternative.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“I asked for a discount, but the manager said no dice.”

CONTEXTUAL

“We tried to get tickets for the sold-out concert at the last minute, but it was no dice.”

COMPLEX

“Despite our most persuasive arguments and the promise of future cooperation, the committee ultimately concluded that it was no dice for our proposal.”

Origin

Attested from the early 20th century, the phrase originates in the game of craps to describe a throw that lands off the table. Such a toss is ruled invalid, requiring the shooter to roll again, as the result provides no score and no progress for the players involved.

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    dice roll

    Something unpredictable or unexpected.

  2. 02

    rats and mice

    [Cockney slang]dice

  3. 03

    roll of the dice

    A risky or uncertain attempt to do something, especially in an unfavourable situation.

  4. 04

    throw of the dice

    Synonym of roll of the dice.

Last updated August 10, 2026