daisy chain

noun

1. a string of daisies linked together to form a chain.

2. such a chain used as a garland or carried on festive days by a group of women college students.

3. a series of interconnected or related things or events.

   a daisy chain of legislative delays and stalemates.

4. Slang.,  a group sexual activity in which the participants serve as active and passive partners to different people simultaneously.

5. Commerce.,  a series of transactions designed to create the appearance of active trading, as in a particular stock, in order to manipulate the price.

daisy chain

noun

1. a garland made, esp by children, by threading daisies together

Word History and Origins

Origin of daisy chain¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Idioms and Phrases

A series of connected events, activities, or experiences. For example, The daisy chain of lectures on art history encompassed the last 200 years . This metaphorical term alludes to a string of the flowers linked together. [Mid-1800s]

A line or circle of three or more persons engaged in simultaneous sexual activity. For example, A high-class call girl, she drew the line at daisy chains . [ Vulgar slang ; 1920s]

A series of securities transactions intended to give the impression of active trading so as to drive up the price. For example, The SEC is on the alert for unscrupulous brokers who are engaging in daisy chains . [1980s]

Example Sentences

“It’s been kind of a daisy chain of correlated injury stuff,” Kuntz said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun up above.

Read more on Seattle Times

Comer is also scrutinizing a daisy chain of transactions beyond those involving Americore.

Read more on Seattle Times

“Every one of those steps will be expensive and cannot fail—or the whole daisy chain falls apart, and you don’t get your samples back.”

Read more on Scientific American

"We were effectively going to daisy chain each other away," Dakota said.

Read more on BBC