the die is cast en · X
Pronunciation
- /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkæst/ (General-American)
- /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkɑːst/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Australia) audio
- /ðə ˌdaɪ ɪz ˈkast/ (Northern-England)
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.
Meanings
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(idiomatic) 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.
Is the die caſt, muſt / At this one throvv all thou haſt gaind be loſt? / The VVorlds a Lott'ry; He that dravves may vvin: / VVho nothing ventur's, looks for nothing;[…]
[1634, H. H., “[Dedication by H. H.]”, in T[homas] H[erbert], A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC:The die is cast. I cannot go back. I must get ready. Will you see me to the station?
1879, George Meredith, “At the Railway Station”, in The Egoist: A Comedy in Narrative. […], volume II, London: C[harles] Kegan Paul & Co., […], →OCLC, page 188:
Coordinates
Relateds
yesterday is gone · let nature take its course · what's done is done · cry over spilt milk · the damage is done · fait accompli · let the chips · let bygones be bygones · dice fall where they may
Synonyms
les jeux sont faits · genie is out of the bottle · you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube · you can't unring a bell
Translations (61)
vi tương lai tiền định (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · sh kȍcka je bačena (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ko 주사위는 던져졌다 (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · gl a sorte foi botada (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fr alea jacta est (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fi arpa on heitetty (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · it il dado è tratto (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fr advienne que pourra (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · mk коцката е фрлена (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fr les dés sont jetés (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · cs kostky jsou vrženy (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fr le sort en est jeté (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · kmr tîr ji kevan pekiya (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · hu a kocka el van vetve (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · sh ко̏цка је бачена (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ca s'ha tirat el dau (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · is teningnum er kastað (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · eo la ĵetkubo estas ĵetita (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · cs kostky byly vrženy (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · rsk коцка руцена (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · gl a sorte está botada (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · sv tärningen är kastad (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · tr zar atıldı (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · pt os dados estão lançados (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · sl kọ̑cka je padla (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ro zarul este aruncat (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ja 賽は投げられた (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · eo la sorto estas ĵetita (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ca la sort ha sigut llançada (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · da terningen er kastet (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fa تاسها پرتاب شدهاند (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · nb terningen er kastet (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · la iacta ālea est (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · pl kości zostały rzucone (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · el ο κύβος ερρίφθη (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ca el dau ha estat tirat (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ru жре́бий бро́шен (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · hy վիճակը նետված է (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · he הַפּוּר נָפַל (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · nn terningen er kasta (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · uk гральну кістку кинуто (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · cmn 骰子已經擲出去了 /骰子已经掷出去了 (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · la ālea iacta est (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · fr les jeux sont faits (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ka კამათელი გაგორებულია (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · es la suerte está echada (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · de die Würfel sind gefallen (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · nl de teerling is geworpen (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ar حُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُدُورِ (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · sk kocky sú hodené (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · br taolet eo an diñs (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · uk жереб кинуто (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · eu zortea botata dago (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · is teningunum er kastað (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · bg зарът е хвърлен (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · et liisk on langenud (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · pt a sorte está lançada (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ar سبق السيف العذل (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · ms nasi sudah menjadi bubur (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · grc ἀνερρίφθω κύβος (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner) · gd dè a bhios ann, tachraidh e (a conclusive action has been taken, so events will proceed in an irreversible manner)
wikipedia: On the Life of the Caesars · wikipedia: Harvard University Press · wikipedia: Suetonius · wikipedia: Bernadotte Perrin · wikipedia: Julius Caesar · wikipedia: Loeb Classical Library · wikipedia: Athenaeus · wikipedia: Menander