play Russian roulette

1. Literally, to participate in a potentially deadly game of chance involving a revolver loaded with a single bullet, in which a participant spins the cylinder so that the bullet's location is unknown, puts the barrel to their head, and pull the trigger. A university student died while apparently playing Russian roulette with other members of his fraternity.

2. By extension, to commit or participate in any reckless, foolish, and/or dangerous act or stunt, especially that in which the risk of danger or trouble is increased with the number of times one repeats it. You're playing Russian roulette every single time you get behind the wheel of a car when you've been drinking.

play Russian roulette

COMMON If someone plays Russian roulette, they take big risks by doing something that might cause great problems or danger. Many organisations are playing Russian roulette with their greatest assets — their staff and their reputation. We're playing Russian roulette with our health, eating this rubbish. Note: If someone plays Russian roulette, they fire a gun containing only one bullet at their head without knowing whether the bullet will be released or not.

play ˌRussian rouˈlette

take dangerous risks: The airline was accused of playing Russian roulette with the lives of their passengers.

Russian roulette is a dangerous game in which a person shoots a gun at their own head. The gun only contains one bullet so the person does not know if it will fire or not.

Russian roulette, to play

To engage in a potentially fatal undertaking. The term refers to a game popularized by Russian officers at the czar’s court in which each player in turn, using a revolver that contains just one bullet, spins the cylinder, aims at his own head, and pulls the trigger. With a six-chamber cylinder, there is one chance in six that he will kill himself. The term was transferred to other highly risky undertakings in the first half of the twentieth century. “Abusive parents are often the scarred survivors of generations of Russian roulette,” stated an article in the medical journal the Lancet (1976).

词组	play Russian roulette
释义	play Russian roulette play Russian roulette 1. Literally, to participate in a potentially deadly game of chance involving a revolver loaded with a single bullet, in which a participant spins the cylinder so that the bullet's location is unknown, puts the barrel to their head, and pull the trigger. A university student died while apparently playing Russian roulette with other members of his fraternity. 2. By extension, to commit or participate in any reckless, foolish, and/or dangerous act or stunt, especially that in which the risk of danger or trouble is increased with the number of times one repeats it. You're playing Russian roulette every single time you get behind the wheel of a car when you've been drinking. See also: play, roulette, Russian Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. play Russian roulette COMMON If someone plays Russian roulette, they take big risks by doing something that might cause great problems or danger. Many organisations are playing Russian roulette with their greatest assets — their staff and their reputation. We're playing Russian roulette with our health, eating this rubbish. Note: If someone plays Russian roulette, they fire a gun containing only one bullet at their head without knowing whether the bullet will be released or not. See also: play, roulette, Russian Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. play ˌRussian rouˈlette take dangerous risks: The airline was accused of playing Russian roulette with the lives of their passengers. Russian roulette is a dangerous game in which a person shoots a gun at their own head. The gun only contains one bullet so the person does not know if it will fire or not. See also: play, roulette, Russian Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary Russian roulette, to play To engage in a potentially fatal undertaking. The term refers to a game popularized by Russian officers at the czar’s court in which each player in turn, using a revolver that contains just one bullet, spins the cylinder, aims at his own head, and pulls the trigger. With a six-chamber cylinder, there is one chance in six that he will kill himself. The term was transferred to other highly risky undertakings in the first half of the twentieth century. “Abusive parents are often the scarred survivors of generations of Russian roulette,” stated an article in the medical journal the Lancet (1976). See also: play, Russian The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: Russian roulette, to play Russian roulette literally spin the bottle get in there ride the pine pin the tail on the donkey at the buzzer roscoe to the death References in periodicals archive "Parents are not going to play Russian roulette with their children, putting them on the bus and sending them to school knowing there will be no help available for them. 'Council red tape putting my daughter's life at risk' "When we play Russian roulette with the concentration of atmospheric gases, we are playing Russian roulette with our ability to find new medicines in nature," he added. New study reveals previously unrecognised threat to monarch butterflies You want to play Russian roulette with fans' safety all for profit. Fury at green light for Elbow gig "It seems the Company and the mandarins at the Department are prepared to play Russian Roulette with a public transport service that underpins the social and economic fabric of our capital city, rather than recognise workers at Dublin Bus are deserving of a significant pay rise after eight years of pay stagnation." 6 MORE DAYS OF BUS STRIKES IN CAPITAL; City set for series of 48hr stoppages PAOLO DI CANIO is set to play Russian roulette with his managerial future by going for the Reading job. Paolo in Russ at Reading FBI agents claimed in a court filing that the actress got the spooky messages from Teresa Yuan in July that included her desire to play Russian Roulette with the Oscar winner. NYC woman charged with stalking Marion Cotillard following threat emails Without bridges over these valleys (acting as underpasses) wildlife is forced to turn back or play Russian Roulette crossing busy roads - and badgers, creatures of habit do the latter! Badger group can only help the living; LETTERS "We reiterate our condemnation of those crimes as well as others that target innocent Iraqis and call on concerned bodies to work seriously to chase evil gangs that play Russian roulette with the lives of peopleC*," according to a statement released by the association and received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Association of Iraqi Scholars demands "serious" action against anti-Christian crimes Maybe Labour are scared by the possibility of being held account by the NUM, and would rather play Russian roulette and allow a foreign investor, who will in turn have a major say in the cost of our electricity. Letter: Your Say - Russian roulette Personally, I'd sooner stay looking like rock chick Janice from the Muppets than play Russian roulette with my life. Pouting Leslie's TV drama It's hardly likely the powers that be would have let Brown play Russian Roulette on telly back in2003 had he gone into the meeting with Channel 4 execs whispering into the ear of a small ornamental rodent and introducing it as "my creative consultant, Simon". what's on: Wizard or mentalist? PICK OF THE WEEK Is there anyone who would play Russian roulette with their own lives, or the lives of their children in return for a 1 per cent increase in annual income? Letter: Your Say - Climate roulette not a safe bet There is no reason any organization should play Russian roulette with their business data. Playing Russian roulette with your business data: the importance of disaster recovery planning the ones that play Russian roulette? They are the people who get in their cars and drive away without fastening their seat belts! Life Assurance "The trend in the past few years has been for the sellers to decide not to have an asking price and let the buyer play Russian roulette and come up with [one]," said Moinian, who recently bought one of the biggest office buildings in the world, the Sears Tower in Chicago, as well as smaller properties at 180 Maiden Lane and 95 Wall St. Moinian finds 'weak spot'
随便看	it's a small world it's a snap it's as well it's a tall order it's a... thing it's a toss-up it's a (type of person) thing it's a wonder it's a wonder... it's a wonder that it's a zoo It's been it's been a slice It's been a slice! (it's been) good to talk to you (it's been) nice talking to you it's been real it's better to ask forgiveness than permission (it's) better to be a live dog than a dead lion (it's) better to be late than be dead on time it's beyond me it's brass monkeys outside it's business as usual it's chucking it down it's crunch time