no dice

Idioms and Phrases

Also, no go ; no soap . No, certainly not; also, impossible. For example, Anthony wanted to borrow my new coat, but Mom said no dice , or We tried to rent the church for the wedding, but it's no go for the date you picked , or Jim asked Dad to help pay for the repairs, but Dad said no soap . All of these slangy expressions indicate refusal or an unsuccessful attempt. No dice , from the 1920s, alludes to an unlucky throw in gambling; no go , alluding to lack of progress, dates from about 1820; and no soap dates from about 1920 and possibly alludes to the phrase it won't wash , meaning “it won't find acceptance.” Also see nothing doing ; won't wash .

Example Sentences

Knowing a mental breakdown when I hear it over the phone, I searched the garage website twice over the next couple of hours myself — no dice — then reached out to someone who knows much more about these matters than I do.

From Los Angeles Times

But as for that photo, no dice.

From Seattle Times

At the Paramount box office, I asked about a refund … no dice.

From Seattle Times

No dice, said the Supreme Court.

From Slate

And when Peli has to deliver bad news to Din, she says “no chance cubes” — which I can only assume means “no dice” in “Star Wars”-ese.

From New York Times

Related Words

• fruitless
• hollow
• impractical
• ineffective
• ineffectual
• insufficient
• trivial
• unproductive
• unprofitable
• unsuccessful
• useless
• vain
• worthless