Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

roll the dice

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.72 in modern English

Syllables: rol-l the dice
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To take a chance, particularly a risky attempt.

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see roll, dice.

Example Sentences

"No one really knows which companies and technologies will come out ahead, so everyone is rolling the dice."
"Could we take the chance? Could we roll the dice?"
"Whatever comes next, the events of the June 12 presidential election will be remembered as a turning point in Iran's revolutionary history; a moment when Ayatullah Ali Khamenei rolled the dice."
"Fresh & Easy is rolling the dice that Ms. Morris’s shopping patterns are not unique."
"Appearing on live television is a gamble for a presidential candidate, or for any celebrity, without acting experience, but previous contenders have rolled the dice, including Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2015 and Barack Obama in 2007."

Etymology

Metaphor from the use of dice in gambling games.

Inflected Forms

rolls the dice (present, singular) rolling the dice (participle, present) rolled the dice (participle, past) rolled the dice (past)

Synonyms

take a flyer take a gamble take a risk

Questions

What does roll the dice mean?: To take a chance, particularly a risky attempt.
Where does roll the dice come from?: Metaphor from the use of dice in gambling games.

How to pronounce roll the dice

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