Dicey
ˈdaɪsi
Definitions
Involving risk or potential danger; uncertain or precarious.
ˈdaɪsi
Involving risk or uncertainty; precarious.
Walking home alone at night can be dicey.
💡 Simply: When something is 'dicey,' it's like a game where you might win or lose – there's a chance things could go wrong. Like, deciding to eat a mystery food at a party is pretty dicey!
👶 For kids: When something is dicey, it's a little bit risky, like climbing a tree that's really high.
More Examples
The financial situation of the company is looking dicey.
It's a dicey proposition to go swimming in that lake, because of the alligators.
How It's Used
"The weather forecast for the weekend is dicey."
"Investing in the new tech startup felt dicey due to the market volatility."
"The last play of the game was dicey, as it involved a risky decision."
Likely from the word 'dice,' suggesting an element of chance or risk. The suffix '-y' indicates an adjective.
Appeared in the late 19th/early 20th century, likely originating in American English slang, and gained wider acceptance over time.
Memory tip
Think of rolling dice – you never know what number you’ll get, so the situation is uncertain.
Word Origin
"From 'dice', implying an element of chance."