no dice

1. 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

If we wanted in on the powerful feelings that must have been swirling within each of them during such an exchange, or a nod to the momentousness of the moment — no dice.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.

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But as for that photo, no dice.

Read more on Seattle Times

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

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No dice, said the Supreme Court.

Read more on Slate

Related Words

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