die is cast

the die is cast

A course of action has been finalized. This expression comes from a Latin phrase thought to have been said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon river and became embroiled in civil war in 49 BCE. Well, the die is cast now that we've closed on the house—we're officially homeowners!
See also: cast, die
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

die is cast

Prov. A process is past the point of no return. (The die is one of a pair of dice. The cast means thrown. This phrase [in Latin] was said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon with his legions, starting a civil war.) After that speech favoring reform of the education system, the die is cast. This is now a campaign issue. The die is cast. There is no turning back on this point.
See also: cast, die
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

die is cast, the

A final decision has been made; there is no turning back. The term comes from Julius Caesar’s invasion of Italy in 49 b.c. (see cross the Rubicon). According to Suetonius’s account, Caesar said Jacta alea est (The dice have been thrown), which has been repeated through the ages whenever a figurative player must abide by the result of a throw of the dice. It was a cliché by the time George Meredith wrote, “The die is cast—I cannot go back” (The Egoist, 1879).
See also: die
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • die is cast, the
  • the die has been cast
  • the die is cast
  • Rubicon
  • cross the Rubicon
  • cross the Rubicon, to
  • pass the Rubicon
  • Greek to me, it's
  • (it's) (all) Greek to me
  • be all Greek to someone
References in periodicals archive
What exactly did Julius Caesar mean when he spoke the now-famous phrase "the die is cast" moments before leading his legion of troops across the River Rubicon?
Upon reaching the Rubicon, Caesar proclaimed, "alea iacta est." or "the die is cast."
The die is cast