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ambsace (AYMZ-ays, AMZ-ays) - n., the lowest throw in dice, snake eyes; bad luck; the smallest or most worthless thing.
Both the latter senses are, of course, metaphoric extensions in different directions from the dice role, which was the original sense. Borrowed in 13th century as ambes as from Old French, from Latin ambo as, "both unit" -- that is, both one (as is the ancestor of ace). The word is not very much used any more, being marked as archaic in collegiate dictionaries, but it does still appear in them.
---L.
Both the latter senses are, of course, metaphoric extensions in different directions from the dice role, which was the original sense. Borrowed in 13th century as ambes as from Old French, from Latin ambo as, "both unit" -- that is, both one (as is the ancestor of ace). The word is not very much used any more, being marked as archaic in collegiate dictionaries, but it does still appear in them.
---L.
