No dice!
exclamation (informal)

- of no avail; futile

- you are having no success or luck with it

- something that people say when they cannot or do not want to do something

Merriam-Webster, Collins Dictionary, The Cambridge Dictionary



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PHRASE ORIGIN

The phrase “No Dice!" originated in the U.S. in the early 20th century (circa 1920s).

There are two main theories:

Theory 1: Legal Evidence Theory (Most Documented)
The phrase likely originated from illegal gambling prosecutions in early 20th century America. Since dice gambling was illegal in most states, when police raided gambling operations, crapshooters would frantically hide or dispose of the dice (some reportedly even swallowed them to avoid arrest). When prosecutors tried to bring charges but couldn't produce the actual dice as evidence, judges would dismiss the cases because there were "no dice" - literally no physical evidence.

The earliest documented reference appears in the Port Arthur Daily News (Texas) in April 1921: "It's 'no dice' when the bones can't be found, according to a local court decision".

Theory 2: Craps Table Origin
Casino dealers in the early twentieth century would yell "no dice" when a player made an incorrect throw or when dice landed off the table, invalidating the roll. The phrase became associated with something unacceptable or unlucky. In craps, when dice land off the table, the throw is invalidated, and dealers would call "no dice".

The phrase transitioned from its literal gambling context (either legal or gaming) to general slang meaning "absolutely not" or "it won't happen" by the 1920s-1930s. The metaphorical leap makes perfect sense: just as invalid dice meant no game could proceed, "no dice" in conversation meant no deal, no agreement, no chance.

The phrase emerged during Prohibition (1920-1933) when illegal gambling was rampant, making both theories plausible and potentially interconnected. The colourful language of American gambling culture provided many expressions that entered mainstream vocabulary during this era.

The exclamation retains its emphatic rejection meaning, equivalent to "Not happening!", "Dream on!", or "Fat chance!" - all carrying that same sense of categorical refusal that originated from the finality of invalid dice or missing evidence.



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GAMBLING EXPRESSIONS

1. Ace in the hole
    Origin: Poker - a hidden ace card that gives you a winning advantage
    Modern meaning: A secret advantage or resource held in reserve
    "Don't worry about the presentation - I have an ace in the hole."

2. Pass the buck
     Origin: Poker - a "buck" (buckhorn knife) was passed to indicate whose turn it was to deal
     Modern meaning: To shift responsibility to someone else
     "Stop passing the buck and take responsibility."

3. Up the ante
     Origin: Poker - increasing the initial bet (ante) to raise stakes
     Modern meaning: To increase demands or raise the level of something
     "The company upped the ante with a better salary offer."

4. Call someone's bluff
     Origin: Poker - challenging someone who you think is lying about their hand
     Modern meaning: To challenge someone you believe is deceiving
    "I decided to call his bluff about knowing the CEO personally."

5. Stack the deck
     Origin: Card games - secretly arranging cards to ensure a favorable outcome
     Modern meaning: To arrange circumstances unfairly in your favor
     "The hiring process was stacked against outside candidates."

6. When the chips are down
     Origin: Poker/Casino - when you're running out of betting chips
     Modern meaning: In a crisis or difficult situation
     "When the chips are down, you find out who your real friends are."

7. Play your cards right
    Origin: Various card games requiring strategy
    Modern meaning: To act skillfully to achieve success
    "If you play your cards right, you could get that promotion."

These expressions demonstrate how the high-stakes, risk-taking world of gambling provided perfect metaphors for everyday situations involving chance, strategy, deception, and calculated risks. The vivid imagery of cards, dice, and betting chips made these phrases memorable and widely adopted in both American and British English.

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SYNONYMS

No way!, Not a chance!, Forget it!, No go!, NO DICE!, Nothing doing!, Not happening!, Dream on!, Fat chance!



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SMUGGLE
 OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:



“My favourite ‘NO DICE!’ synonym is ‘Dream On!’,… what’s yours?”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D