die is cast

the die is cast

something that you say when a decision has been made or something has happened which will cause a situation to develop in a particular way. From the moment the first shot was fired, the die was cast and war became inevitable.

See also: cast, die

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the die is cast

a decision is made that cannot be changed. When the first shot was fired, the die was cast and a revolution began.

Etymology: based on the idea that after you cast (= throw) a die (= small square block with a number on each side) you cannot control its movement

See also: cast, die