chair warmer

Save This Word!

noun Informal.

an officeholder, employee, or the like, who accomplishes little, especially a person who holds an interim position.

a person who lounges for long periods sitting in a chair, as in a hotel lobby or clubroom.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of chair warmer

First recorded in 1905–10

While 19 percent of the House is female, just one woman will get to chair one of its 20 committees.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She added: “NBC News is proud to have David in the important anchor chair of ‘Meet the Press.’ ”
David Gregory's 'Meet the Press' Eviction Exposed in Washingtonian Takedown|Lloyd Grove|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As the Cold War entered its final years, the film enjoyed a warmer reception in Russia.
When Countries Lose Their Shit Over American Movies|Asawin Suebsaeng|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still fearful and smarting from the pain, I arrived on time and was led to chair in his office.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In our screenings, he always sits in the same corner chair and always looks hopeful, no matter what the movie.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It ended on a complaint that she was 'tired rather and spending my time at full length on a deck-chair in the garden.'
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
With a suffocating gasp, she fell back into the chair on which she sat, and covered her face with her hands.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The president sat in a chair which came over with the pilgrims in their ship, the Mayflower.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
She was holding the back of her chair with one hand; her loose sleeve had slipped almost to the shoulder of her uplifted arm.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
He noticed at the same time several burnt matches between his cushions and her chair.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood