no dice

Idioms  

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.

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Example Sentences

If you need a deep stretch of silence or reflection, design a micro-retreat around that; likewise if you long to dive into a creative project.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

“A Screaming Life” isn’t a massive tome, but it still manages to dive deep when it matters, and also when you least expect it to.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

If there are topics keeping you up at night, characters you want to know more about or stories you’re desperate to dive into, get in touch!

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

But don’t worry, it’s unlikely that any prior knowledge of comic book lore or the wider DCU will be required to dive into the show.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

But when they saw their leader stripping off his blue cloak and obviously preparing to dive into the pool, they had no heart to question his commands.

From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye

Related Words

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