Russian roulette

Russian roulette

1. A potentially fatal game of chance involving a revolver loaded with a single bullet, in which each participant in turn spins the cylinder so that the bullet's location is unknown, puts the barrel to their head, and pulls the trigger. A student of the university died over the weekend after apparently playing a game of Russian roulette with other members of his fraternity.
2. By extension, 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 does it. Your company might have passed its audit this year, Mr. Fisk, but every year is going to be Russian roulette so long as this embezzlement continues. You're playing Russian roulette every single time you get behind the wheel of a car when you've been drinking.
See also: roulette, Russian
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • play Russian roulette
  • Russian roulette, to play
  • get the bullet
  • have (one's) (name and) number on it
  • have someone's number on it
  • spin the bottle
  • get in there
  • ride the pine
  • pin the tail on the donkey
  • roscoe
References in periodicals archive
RISKY BUSINESS: Derren Brown plays Russian roulette (C4, 9pm)
WEEKEND: TV: SUNDAY TV
Judge Niclas Parry said: "One witness describes your driving graphically as playing a game of R"Russian roulette with your life and the lives of others."
Jailed after head-on smash
The new app called the Social Roulette has mimicked the lethal game of Russian Roulette, in which players spin the cylinder of a revolver hoping to avoid the one loaded chamber.
Facebook blocks 'social suicide' app offering users' chance of deleting their accounts
A MAN found shot dead at his Birmingham home may have been playing Russian roulette, an inquest heard.
KILLED 'IN A GAME OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE' Brum man shot in head, inquest told
MINISTERS were told they were playing Russian roulette with people''s future by a Mersey MP in last night''s heated health debate.
Health Bill plays 'Russian roulette' with lives
There's little to the likes of Modern Day Delilah, Russian Roulette and Never Enough.
KISS Sonic Boom (Roadrunner)
NURSES will be playing Russian roulette with the lives of patients if they stage a day-long strike next week, health chiefs warned yesterday The Irish Nurses Organisation, which held a stoppage at Sligo General Hospital on Thursday, claim job cuts by the Health Service Executive are putting its members under increasing pressure.
Fears over INO strike
Mr Field, 17, suffered only superficial wounds, but Judge Peter Bowers likened the attack to "playing Russian roulette."
Play-stab game led to knifing; Teen locked up as judge hits out over 'Russian roulette'
A FIREFIGHTER who killed a driver in a crash was "playing Russian roulette" by speeding through a red light, a court heard yesterday.
'Russian roulette' of crash fireman
The Spanish make tapas with them and then play a sort of culinary Russian roulette, a game we are now being encouraged to enjoy.
Watch out, there could be a killer chilli hiding on your plate
Mrs Woods was keen to dispel rumours her son's death was as a result of a lethal game of Russian roulette.
Gun warning by grieving mother; 'Parents have to act before it is too late'
Drivers are playing Russian roulette by texting while in control of their vehicles, motoring organisations have warned.
Peril of 'texting' drivers
Seance follows on from his just-finished series Trick of the Mind and previous high-profile TV special Russian Roulette.
Television: PICK OF THE WEEK: Ouija believe it.. Derren says ghosts don't exist; Illusionist hosts live seance to spirit away the myths
Before the release of 1997's Grammy-winning Time Out of Mind, fans would regularly hear Bob play Russian Roulette with his back catalogue.
Last night's review: Good time to love Dylan
More than three million people tuned in to watch mind control expert Derren Brown pull off his live Russian roulette stunt on TV.
Russian roulette is a winner