musical chairs

musical chairs
1. Also called going to Jerusalem. a game in which players march to music around two rows of chairs placed back to back, there being one chair less than the number of players, the object being to find a seat when the music stops abruptly. The player failing to do so is removed from the game, together with one chair, at each interval.
2. Informal. a situation or series of events in which jobs, decisions, prospects, etc., are changed with confusing rapidity.
[1875-80]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Musical chairs — Trip to Jerusalem redirects here. For the public house in Nottingham, see Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem. For other uses, see Musical chairs (disambiguation). Musical chairs A game of musical chairs being played at a party. Players Variable …   Wikipedia

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  • musical chairs — noun 1. a child s game in which players march to music around a group of chairs that contains one chair less than the number of players; when the music abruptly stops the players scramble to sit and the player who does not find a chair is… …   Useful english dictionary

  • musical chairs — n. to play musical chairs * * * [ˌmjuːzɪk(ə)l tʃeəz] to play musical chairs …   Combinatory dictionary

  • musical chairs — noun plural but singular in construction Date: 1877 a game in which players march to music around a row of chairs numbering one less than the players and scramble for seats when the music stops; also a situation or series of events suggesting the …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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