random

CEFRB1

/ˈɹændəm/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Chosen or happening without a planned pattern or reason.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Speed, full speed; impetuosity, force.

Examples

  • I used to read novels at random.

  • Choose three books at random.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. The full range of a bullet or other projectile; hence, the angle at which a weapon is tilted to allow the greatest range.

  2. Occurring for no particular reason; haphazard, unpredictable.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A roving motion; course without definite direction; lack of rule or method; chance.

More examples

In context

  • Our city is plagued by random acts of violence.

  • The party was boring. It was full of randoms.

  • The random killing of innocent people

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The computer program picked a blank number between one and ten without any rule.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From earlier randon, from Middle English randoun, raundon, from Old French randon, from randir (“to run, gallop”) (whence French randonnée (“long walk, hike”)), from Frankish *randiju (“a run, race”) or Old Norse rend (“a run, race”), both from Proto-Germanic *randijō, from *rinnaną (“run”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw- (“to flow, move, run”). Cognate with Middle Low German uprinden (“to jump up”), Danish rende (“to run”). See run.