English Reference
noun · verb

dice

n. · v.
US /ˈdaɪs/ UK /dˈaɪs/ dice UK spelling dices

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.small cubes with dots on each side, used in games to get a random number.

    n.small cubes marked on each face with one to six pips, used in gaming to generate random numbers.

    Simple

    He rolled the dice and got a six, which meant he could start the game.

    In context

    The board game requires players to roll a pair of dice and move their tokens according to the sum of the pips.

    Pitfall
    I need one dice to play. I need one die to play.

    Technically, 'die' is the singular and 'dice' is the plural, though many modern speakers use 'dice' for both.

    die
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate Cooking

    v.to cut food, like vegetables or meat, into very small square pieces.

    v.to cut food into small, uniform cubes, typically smaller than a chop.

    Simple

    You should dice the onions finely before adding them to the hot pan.

    In context

    The recipe instructs the chef to dice the carrots into five-millimetre cubes to ensure they cook at the same rate as the peas.

    Usage

    This is a transitive verb that requires a direct object, usually a food item.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Cooking

    n.food that has already been cut into small squares.

    n.a quantity of food that has been processed into small cubes.

    Simple

    Add the dice of ham to the salad for extra flavour.

    In context

    The chef prepared a neat dice of root vegetables to be used as a garnish for the beef consommé.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to play games using dice, often for money.

    v.to play or gamble using dice.

    Simple

    They spent the evening dicing in the back room of the club.

    In context

    The sailors were known for dicing away their wages before their ship had even left the harbour.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated