RANDOM


Meaning of RANDOM in English

ran ‧ dom AC /ˈrændəm/ BrE AmE adjective

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ randomness ; adverb : ↑ randomly ; adjective : ↑ random ]

[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: randon 'great speed or force' , from randir 'to run' ]

1 . happening or chosen without any definite plan, aim, or pattern:

The company has introduced random drug testing of its employees.

A few random shots were fired.

We looked at a random sample of 120 families.

a random selection of women who were in the shop

2 . at random without any definite plan, aim, or pattern

choose/select/pick something at random

The gang picked their victims at random.

—randomly adverb :

seven randomly chosen numbers

—randomness noun [uncountable]

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COLLOCATIONS

■ nouns

▪ a random sample

A test was carried out on a random sample of the cattle.

▪ a random selection

He looked at a random selection of the files.

▪ a random number

Pick a random number.

▪ a random sequence

They were asked to memorize a random sequence of numbers.

▪ random checks/tests

He believes the police should be able to carry out random breath tests.

▪ random violence

The family were caught up in the random violence that haunts a neighbourhood ruled by gangs.

■ adverbs

▪ completely/entirely random

The atomic particles seem to move in a completely random direction.

▪ apparently/seemingly random

a wave of apparently random attacks

▪ purely/truly random

a purely random sequence of numbers

■ phrases

▪ in random order

The names are in random order.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.