WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

musical chairs
    n 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 eliminated; then a chair is removed and the march
         resumes until only the winner is seated [syn: musical
         chairs, going to Jerusalem]
    2: a rearrangement that has no practical effect or significance;
       "the company is looking for stability after years of musical
       chairs with directors"; "shareholders don't want the company
       playing musical chairs with their investment"