Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

the die is cast

/ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.61 in modern English

Syllables
the die is -cast
IPA
/ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/
18
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

A conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner; the point of no return has been passed; the future is determined; there are no more options.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Calque of Latin iacta ālea est, which is grammatically, and thereby semantically, an incorrect translation by the Roman historian Suetonius (c. 69 – p. 122 C.E.) in his work Vīta Dīvī Iūlī (On the Life of the Caesars, 121 C.E.) of the Ancient Greek ἀνερρίφθω κύβος (anerrhíphthō kúbos), which was said to have been spoken by Julius Caesar (100 – 44 B.C.E.) when he crossed the Rubicon to irreversibly begin a civil war in the Roman Republic (see cross the Rubicon). Caesar was quoting from the comedy Ἀρρηφόρῳ (Arrhēphórōi, The Bearer of Ritual Objects) by the dramatist Menander (c. 342 or 341 – c. 290 B.C.E.). The Greek phrase is more accurately translated as “let the die be cast” (meaning “let the game be played” and implying “let us proceed irreversibly”), and refers a game of chance in which the outcome is determined by the throwing of dice or a single die.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/
  • British English: /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkɑːst/

Phrases

cry over spilt milk fait accompli let bygones be bygones let nature take its course let the chips dice fall where they may the damage is done what's done is done

Frequently Paired Words

cry over spilt milk fait accompli let bygones be bygones let nature take its course let the chips dice fall where they may the damage is done what's done is done

Synonyms

genie is out of the bottle les jeux sont faits you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube you can't unring a bell

Rhymes With

last past asked fast passed cast vast contrast blast caste mast outcast

Questions

How do you pronounce the die is cast?
The recorded pronunciation is /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/.
What does the die is cast mean?
A conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner; the point of no return has been passed; the future is determined; there are no more options.
Where does the die is cast come from?
Calque of Latin iacta ālea est, which is grammatically, and thereby semantically, an incorrect translation by the Roman historian Suetonius (c. 69 – p. 122 C.E.) in his work Vīta Dīvī Iūlī (On the Life of the Caesars, 121 C.E.) of the Ancient Greek ἀνερρίφθω κύβος (anerrhíphthō kúbos), which was said to have been spoken by Julius Caesar (100 – 44 B.C.E.) when he crossed the Rubicon to irreversibly begin a civil war in the Roman Republic (see cross the Rubicon). Caesar was quoting from the comedy Ἀρρηφόρῳ (Arrhēphórōi, The Bearer of Ritual Objects) by the dramatist Menander (c. 342 or 341 – c. 290 B.C.E.). The Greek phrase is more accurately translated as “let the die be cast” (meaning “let the game be played” and implying “let us proceed irreversibly”), and refers a game of chance in which the outcome is determined by the throwing of dice or a single die.

How to pronounce the die is cast

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “the die is cast”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “the die is cast”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “the die is cast” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.