random

random
random (adj.) "having no definite aim or purpose," 1650s, from at random (1560s), "at great speed" (thus, "carelessly, haphazardly"), alteration of M.E. randon "impetuosity, speed" (c.1300), from O.Fr. randon "rush, disorder, force, impetuosity," from randir "to run fast," from Frankish *rant "a running," from P.Gmc. *randa (Cf. O.H.G. rennen "to run," O.E. rinnan "to flow, to run;" see RUN (Cf. run) (v.)). In 1980s college student slang, it began to acquire a sense of "inferior, undesirable." (A 1980 William Safire column describes it as a college slang noun meaning "person who does not belong on our dormitory floor.") Random access in reference to computer memory is recorded from 1953.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • random — ran‧dom [ˈrændəm] adjective 1. random sample/​ check/​test etc a sample, check etc in which things or people are chosen without any particular reason or pattern so that they will include a typical mixture of the larger group they represent: • The …   Financial and business terms

  • Random — Ran dom, a. 1. Going at random or by chance; done or made at hazard, or without settled direction, aim, or purpose; hazarded without previous calculation; left to chance; haphazard; as, a random guess. [1913 Webster] Some random truths he can… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Random 1 — is a documentary style reality television series that aired from November 2005 to January 2006 on the A E cable network. In each episode, hosts John Chester and Andre Miller travel from town to town, in Miller s real life, rickety pickup truck… …   Wikipedia

  • Random — est un super vilain appartenant à l univers de Marvel Comics. Random is a word mainly used by a group of friends while talking about something strange or in a wierd way, this is mainly people in the U.S.A. which know one know why and also in… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • random — random, haphazard, chance, chancy, casual, desultory, hit or miss, happy go lucky are comparable when they mean having a cause or a character that is determined by accident rather than by design or by method. What is random comes, goes, occurs,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Random — Ran dom (r[a^]n d[u^]m), n. [OE. randon, OF. randon force, violence, rapidity, [ a] randon, de randon, violently, suddenly, rapidly, prob. of German origin; cf. G. rand edge, border, OHG. rant shield, edge of a shield, akin to E. rand, n. See… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Random 1-8 — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Random 1 8 es un EP de la banda inglesa Muse. Fue lanzado únicamente en Japón en el año 2000. Este EP incluye caras B de otros singles, remezclas y versiones en directo. Lista de canciones Host Coma Pink Ego Box… …   Wikipedia Español

  • random — [ran′dəm] n. [ME randoun < OFr randon, violence, speed (in a randon, violently) < randir, to run violently < Frank * rant, a running, akin to OHG rinnan, to RUN] impetuous and haphazard movement: now only in at random, without careful… …   English World dictionary

  • random — / rændəm/, it. / random/ agg. ingl. (propriam. casuale ). (inform., stat.) [che è privo di regolarità: accesso r. alla memoria di un elaboratore ] ▶◀ casuale. ‖ aleatorio …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • random — I adjective accidental, aimless, blind, casual, chance, cursory, designless, desultory, done without reason, fortuitous, haphazard, immethodical, incidental, indiscriminate, irregular, orderless, promiscuous, purposeless, stray, unaimed,… …   Law dictionary

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