FromMiddle Englishdys, plural ofdy. See the etymology ofdie (etymology 2) for further information. The voiceless/s/ was most likely retained because the word felt like a collective term rather than a plural form (comparepence), and the spellingdice is a result of the pronunciation.
Or think of a decent young citizen in a toga—perhaps too muchdice, you know—coming out here in the train of some prefect, or tax-gatherer, or trader even, to mend his fortunes.
1980, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, “The Winner Takes It All”,Super Trouper, Polar Music
The gods may throw adice / Their minds as cold as ice
1945,Lawrence Durrell,Prospero's Cell: A Guide to the Landscape and Manners of the Island of Corfu:
A white house set like adice on a rock already venerable with the scars of wind and water.
2009,Hubert L. Dreyfus, Mark A. Wrathall,A Companion to Phenomenology and Existentialism, page106:
When we see adice, we see an object which has six sides, some of which can be seen from where we are, others can be seen if we twist it or move around it.
1782,Tobias George Smollett,The history and adventures of the renowned Don Quixote, 5th edition, volumes3-4, translation of original byMiguel de Cervantes Saavedra:
If your worship is inclined to take a small draught of good wine, though not very cool, I have here a calabash full of the best, and somedices of Tronchon cheese
The singular usage is considered incorrect by many authorities. However, it should be noted thatThe New Oxford Dictionary of English, Judy Pearsall, Patrick Hanks (1998) states that “In modern standard English, the singulardie (rather thandice) is uncommon.Dice is used for both the singular and the plural.”
For Corinius, who gave not a fig for music or dirges, but liked well of carding anddicing, had brought forth his dice box to play with the son of Corund.
1999,George R.R. Martin,A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published2011, page407:
Tyrion found Timmettdicing with his Burned Men in the barracks.
1928, “Carrots and Beets in Turnip Border”, inThe Ladies' Home Journal, volume45, page109:
Dice the vegetables and heat in the double boiler with butter, pepper and salt.
2019 November 21, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, inThe Guardian[2]:
But as our urban lives have grown more pressed for time, we havediced our opportunity costs finer and finer; from budgeting days or slabs of hours, we have come to rationing minutes.
