— randomly , adv. — randomness , n.
/ran"deuhm/ , adj.
1. proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern: the random selection of numbers.
2. Statistics. of or characterizing a process of selection in which each item of a set has an equal probability of being chosen.
3. Building Trades.
a. (of building materials) lacking uniformity of dimensions: random shingles.
b. (of ashlar) laid without continuous courses.
c. constructed or applied without regularity: random bond.
n.
4. Chiefly Brit. bank 3 (def. 7b).
5. at random , without definite aim, purpose, method, or adherence to a prior arrangement; in a haphazard way: Contestants were chosen at random from the studio audience.
adv.
6. Building Trades. without uniformity: random-sized slates.
[ 1275-1325; ME raundon, random randon, deriv. of randir to gallop ]
Syn. 1. haphazard, chance, fortuitous.