In gambling, snake eyes is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game and getting only one pip on each die. The pair of pips resembles a pair of eyes, which is appended to the term 'snake' because of the long-standing association of this word with treachery and betrayal. The dictionary of etymology traces that use of the term back to 1929, although it may be traced all the way back to the ancient Roman dice games, where 'Dogs' represented two ones. They referred to this as "the dog throw". In modern parlance, it refers to such a roll in any game involving dice. Snake eyes also refers to looking one way and passing the ball the other way in the game of Taps.
Read more about Snake Eyes: Games, Probability
Famous quotes containing the words snake and/or eyes:
“The Gospel of the army is cunning, as of all other human activities. The wisdom of the snake under the meekness of the sheep is what wins out.
The first Commandment is—never let them get anything on you—
The second: Graft—get privileges others haven’t got—worm yourself into confidence
The Third—seem neat and prosperous—as if you had money in the bank—”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“You can’t build life the way you put blocks together, Toddy.... Did Knox teach you what makes the blood flow? Did he tell you how thoughts come and how they go, and why things are remembered and forgot?... What makes a thought start?... You don’t know and you’ll never know or understand.... Look, look at yourself. Could you be a doctor, a healing man, with the things those eyes have seen? There’s a lot of knowledge in those eyes, but no understanding.”
—Philip MacDonald, and Robert Wise. Gray (Boris Karloff)