Random Lack Chance Suggests Noun Definite Plan Stresses

ran·dom

I

\\ˈran-dəm\\ noun: a haphazard course
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II

adjective1.
  a. lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
  b. made, done, or chosen at random
      read random passages from the book
2.
  a. relating to, having, or being elements or events with definite probability of occurrence
      random processes
  b. being or relating to a set or to an element of a set each of whose elements has equal probability of occurrence
      a random sample
   also : characterized by procedures designed to obtain such sets or elements
      random sampling
• ran·dom·ly adverb
• ran·dom·ness noun
Synonyms.
  , , mean determined by accident rather than design. stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure
      a random selection of books
   applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence
      a haphazard collection of rocks
   suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose
      a casual collector

III

adverb: in a random manner

random
  "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"). In 1980s college student slang, it began to acquire a sense of "inferior, undesirable." Random access in ref. to computer memory is recorded from 1953.

random
ran·dom / 5rAndEm / adjective [usually before noun]
   done, chosen, etc. without sb deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern
   随机的,随意的(非事先决定或不规则):
   the random killing of innocent people
   对无辜者的随意杀戮
   a random sample / selection (= in which each thing has an equal chance of being chosen)
   随机抽样/选择
   The information is processed in a random order.
   信息是按随机顺序处理的。
• ran·dom·ly adv.:
   The winning numbers are randomly selected by computer.
   获奖号码是由电脑随机选取的。
   My phone seems to switch itself off randomly.
   我的手机好像随时自动关机。
• ran·dom·ness noun [U] :
   It introduced an element of randomness into the situation.
   这就为形势增加了一种不确定因素。 noun    IDIOMS 
▪ at 'random
   without deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern
   随意；随机:
   She opened the book at random (= not at any particular page) and started reading.
   她随意翻开书就看了起来。
   The terrorists fired into the crowd at random.
   恐怖分子胡乱地向人群开枪。
   Names were chosen at random from a list.
   名字是从名单中随便点的。

random adj.

ran·dom
I. \ˈrandəm, ˈraan-\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English randoun, raundon, random, from Middle French randon (as in de randon, a randon with impetuosity), from Old French, from randir to run, gallop, of Germanic origin; akin to German dialect (Bavarian & Alemannic) rand run, running, from stem of Old High German rinnan to run — more at
1. obsolete : ,
2. : a haphazard course : chance progress
3. obsolete
 a. : the range of a gun or projectile
 b. : the elevation given to a gun
4. : III 3b
•
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II. adverb
: in a random manner : at random — usually used in combination
 < random-jointed >
III. adjective
1. : lacking or seeming to lack a regular plan, purpose, or pattern
 < random thoughts laid hold of him — George Meredith >
 < a random assortment of vases, ivory elephants and other … ornaments — Robert Shaplen >
 < random brick and timber panels — American Guide Series: Connecticut >
 < random widths >
2.
 a. : marked by absence of bias : chosen at random
  < a true random sample of the whole list — Daniel Melcher & Nancy Larrick >
  < placing a finger on a random passage — Charlton Laird >
 b. : involving or resulting from randomization
 c. : having the same probability of occurring as every other member of a set
  < random numbers >
Synonyms:
 , , , , , , : stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, regular procedure, or predictable incidence
  < a random collection of literary and archeological odds and ends — Aldous Huxley >
  < the clerks become tired and bored and start making random mistakes — Martin Gardner >
  < a kitten's random play with a spool or ball >
  That which is is done according to chance or whim without regularity or order and with careless disregard for ultimate fitness or efficiency. further stresses lack of aim, care, plan, or system
  < all his shop training had given him a profound prejudice against inexact work, experimental work, hit-or-miss work — C.S.Forester >
  stresses lack of regularity or steadiness and suggests an erratic performance marked by false starts, lapses, breaks, shifts, or inconsistencies
  < medieval warfare was often of the nature of a mild adventure … the fighting was generally sporadic and desultory — Edwin Benson >
  < a little Latin and Greek and much outdoor life, with a desultory education got from vagrant books — V.L.Parrington >
  stresses complete lack of design, intent, plan, or prearrangement
  < he had never before given Cuba, under Spanish rule, a thought, but at a chance sentence it dominated him completely — Joseph Hergesheimer >
  It suggests lack of plan, reason, forethought in connection with persons encountered or objects found or discovered in various places
  < his temper grew uncertain and he found it increasingly difficult to welcome chance visitors with his usual affability — Robert Graves >
  < snatching a chance piece of billiard chalk from his pocket, he ran it across the hall floor — G.K.Chesterton >
  In reference to things and situations suggests uncertainty of outcome through dependence on chance and hence implies risk or hazard
  < despite recent advances in geophysics, oil drilling is still a chancy business — H.T.Kane >
  suggests lack of intentness or purpose
  < his jottings are by no means casual — Listener >
  suggests carefree, insouciant lack of forethought or plan or cheerful, indifferent acceptance of what ensues
  < a funny little happy-go-lucky, native-managed railway — Rudyard Kipling >
  < the old happy-go-lucky methods of production — Bernard Pares >

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