2. Any small cubical or square body.
Words . . . pasted upon little flat tablets or dies.
--Watts.
3. That which is, or might be, determined, by a throw of the
die; hazard; chance.
Such is the die of war. --Spenser.
4. (Arch.) That part of a pedestal included between base and
cornice; the dado.
5. (Mach.)
(a) A metal or plate (often one of a pair) so cut or
shaped as to give a certain desired form to, or
impress any desired device on, an object or surface,
by pressure or by a blow; used in forging metals,
coining, striking up sheet metal, etc.
(b) A perforated block, commonly of hardened steel used in
connection with a punch, for punching holes, as
through plates, or blanks from plates, or for forming
cups or capsules, as from sheet metal, by drawing.
(c) A hollow internally threaded screw-cutting tool, made
in one piece or composed of several parts, for forming
screw threads on bolts, etc.; one of the separate
parts which make up such a tool.
{Cutting die} (Mech.), a thin, deep steel frame, sharpened to
a cutting edge, for cutting out articles from leather,
cloth, paper, etc.
{The die is cast}, the hazard must be run; the step is taken,
and it is too late to draw back; the last chance is taken.