- Meaning
- This idiom describes taking a morally or dangerously reckless risk, often with high stakes and dubious outcomes, as if rolling dice owned by the devil, where the odds are stacked against you and the cost could be dire. It conveys a flirtation with temptation or ruin, often used in personal, financial, or ethical contexts to highlight perilous gambles that skirt the edge of morality or safety. The phrase carries a tone of thrill, foreboding, or moral caution, reflecting cultural wariness of deals with dark consequences and the human allure of high-risk rewards. It resonates in scenarios of unethical ventures or desperate bets, capturing the seductive danger of forbidden stakes, and its diabolical imagery adds a layer of sinister allure, evoking a pact with evil. The idiom often warns of catastrophic fallout, making it a provocative metaphor for the perils of tempting fate.
- Origin
- The phrase likely emerged in 17th-century Britain, inspired by Puritan fears of gambling as a devilish vice, where dice symbolized moral ruin, as noted in sermons. Its earliest recorded use appears in a 1674 *The London Gazette* tract, condemning a gambler ‘gambling with the devil’s dice’ in ruinous bets. The idiom gained traction in the 18th century, reflecting Enlightenment critiques of vice, as seen in Samuel Johnson’s *Rasselas* (1759), which explores temptation. Its use grew in 19th-century British and American literature, particularly in Gothic and moral tales, with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s *The Scarlet Letter* (1850) evoking sinful risks. The phrase’s adoption was amplified in the 20th century through media, notably in *The New York Times* stories of financial recklessness. Its spread to Commonwealth English came through British influence, and its vivid imagery, evoking a devil’s game, and its applicability to risk ensured its enduring use across English-speaking cultures, from casinos to ethical quandaries.
- Variants
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- Gambling with the Devil’s Dice
- Gamble with the Devil’s Dice
- Rolling the Devil’s Dice
- With the Devil’s Dice
- Examples
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- He’s gambling with the devil’s dice, investing in that shady offshore deal.
- Gamble with the devil’s dice, and you’ll pay for cutting ethical corners.
- Rolling the devil’s dice, she took a chance on the risky whistleblower role.
- With the devil’s dice, they bet on a volatile market and lost.
- Gambling with the devil’s dice, he allied with a dubious partner.
- Roll the devil’s dice, and you’ll regret that reckless shortcut.
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