You long-time readers of this blog know that I’m a word person. I love puns (which I’ll spare you of today) and oddball origins of expressions (which I will offer you today). Have you ever wondered how “no dice” came to mean “nothing doing,” something a person says when they refuse to accept a course of action? Here it is.
This phrase originated in the U.S. in the early 20th century. In most states, gambling with dice was against the law, so players hid the dice when police showed up—some even swallowed them! When police had no dice to submit into evidence, courts often simply dismissed the case. Here’s what was said in a 1921 court case of six men charged with gambling with dice: The city attorney asked the arresting officer if he actually saw the men shooting dice. When the officer said he saw no dice, the men were acquitted. Thus, the birth of the expression “no dice,” growing from the idea of no dice = no conviction.
