Dice vs. Die – How to Use Each Correctly

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Dice vs. Die – What’s the Gist?

There is a relationship between the nouns of this pairing; however, the verbs of the same name have only an indirect association to the nouns and none to each other.

  • Dice is a noun.
  • Die is a noun.

The only difference between these two nouns is that dice is the plural form of die.

dice versus die

How to Use Dice in a Sentence

Dice definition: As a noun, dice means a small cubed game piece, typically used in board games or gambling.

For example:

  • He was able to advance around the Monopoly board twelve places when the dice revealed a double. (Noun)
  • While sitting at the craps table, she rolled the dice. (Noun)

As alluded to earlier, the verb form of dice means to cut into small cubes. Obviously, the shape of diced vegetables or meat resembles the game piece.

How to Use Die in a Sentence

Die definition: The word die is a singular noun, meaning a small marked cube with each face having one to six spots; or when used figuratively meaning an irreversible course of action.

For example:

  • Upon opening the board game, it was discovered that a die was missing. (Noun)
  • After Oedipus unknowingly killed his father, the die was cast concerning future actions. (Noun)

Again, as mentioned earlier, the verb form of die means to pass from physical existence or to expire but has nothing to do with the noun die.

Outside Examples of Dice vs. Die

  • Dungeons & Dragons, a tabletop classic since the 1970s, is usually played in person, in after-school clubs, at friends’ dining-room tables or in local gaming stores, to weave tales, roll dice and portray elves, dwarfs and other characters. –The Wall Street Journal
  • Trevor Bedford, whose lab at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has been tracking the pandemic using the virus’s genetic code, acknowledges it’s a “dice roll” that makes it hard to predict hot spots. –Chicago Sun-Times
  • The die may have been cast, but Jimmy’s relationship with his wife, Kim (Rhea Seehorn), has kept him from falling too far too fast. –The New York Times
  • “I don’t want anyone to see anyone die,” he said. “But there are far more deaths for other reasons.” –The Denver Post

It is more common for outside sources to use the verb form for die (as seen in the last example above) since death is more prevalent than using a singular game cube is, especially since many games use dice.

Phrases That Use Dice and Die

There are several phrases and idioms that use the word dice or die, including:

No dice: To refuse to do something requested or that might have little chance for success.

  • His wife said, “No dice,” after he asked her to accompany him to the grocery store.

Roll of the dice: Something that could have a good or bad result.

  • His catching the virus from being out in public was a roll of the dice.

The die was cast: A chosen action that cannot be changed or altered.

  • After the down payment was made, the die was cast for the purchase of their new car.

How to Remember These Words

The issue with these two words comes from the common mistake of using the plural dice instead of the word die to mean a singular playing piece.

A helpful mnemonic device may be to keep in mind that the word die has one fewer letter than the word dice. Singular means one in number. Keeping the word one in mind may help you remember that die is the singular noun form.

Conversely, the word dice has one more letter than die and plural means there is more than one in number. Remembering that dice has more letters may help you recall that dice is the plural noun form.

Quiz: Dice or Die

  1. After looking online, the teacher was unable to find just one ________ for the exercise she had planned.
  2. Monopoly has two _______ to roll.
  3. During the game, the bad-tempered player threw the both _______ across the room.
  4. He was surprised that the game had a singular _______ for a game piece.

Article Summary

Is dice or die correct? Making the right choice comes down to needing a singular or plural noun. Do you have two cubed game pieces in your hand? If so, you have a pair of dice.

Do you have only one? Then, you have a die.

  • Dice is a plural noun.
  • Die acts as the singular form of the noun.

Quiz Answers

  1. Die.
  2. Dice.
  3. Dice.
  4. Die.