dice with death
Flirt with mortality
To dice with death is to take serious risks, to engage in behavior that could easily result in death or severe consequences.
The phrase evokes gambling imagery—rolling dice where the stakes are your life.
Every time he rides that motorcycle without a helmet, he's dicing with death.
The expression is more common in British English than American English, where "flirt with death" or "play with fire" serve similar purposes.
- Russian rouletteFatal game of chance
- sail close to the windBehave near acceptable limits
- skating on thin iceTaking foolish risks
- risk-takingAccepting possible harm
- throw caution to the windAct recklessly, disregarding consequences
recklessness · take a risk · deathtrap · dangerous · dicey · daring · risk life and limb · living on the edge · daredevilry · adrenaline junkie · live dangerously · gamble · peril · brinkmanship · razor's edge · play with fire · high stakes · tempt fate
- risk phrasestake a chance, take a gamble, risk it all, go for broke, go all in
dice with deathplay it safe
Avoid unnecessary chances
err on the side of caution · hedge one's bets · keep one's head down · tread carefully · risk aversion
dice with deathself-preservation
Instinct to survive danger
leave nothing to chance · cover one's bases · live to fight another day · save one's neck