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!

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.

The decision or course of action has been determined and cannot be changed. For example, Now that I've announced my resignation, the die is cast. This expression comes from the Latin Iacta alea est, "the dice have been thrown," which according to Suetonius was said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon and invaded Italy in 49 b.c. In English it dates from the first half of the 1600s.

If the die is cast, a decision has been made or something has happened that makes it impossible to change things. The die was cast and it was too late for any regrets. She was now Mrs Arthur Bradley, and would stay that way for life. His reassurance that parliament would debate and express its views before the die is cast was welcome. Note: `Die' is an old singular form of the word `dice'. Once you have thrown the dice, you cannot do anything to change the way they fall. The first use of the expression is attributed to Julius Caesar, who is believed to have said it before crossing over the river Rubicon into Italy from Gaul, thus invading his own country and starting a civil war. `Cross the Rubicon' is based on the same incident.

The decision has been made and is irrevocable.

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).

No turning back; past the point of no return. In 49 BC, Julius Caesar led his troops across the Rubicon, a river in northern Italy, in violation of Roman law. As he acted on his decision, he was said to have reflected, Alea iacta est (also alea jacta est), Latin: for “the die has been cast.” He referred to the singular of dice, proving that life was a crap shoot even back then.