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randomn.adv.adj. Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French randoun. Etymology: < Anglo-Norman randoun, raundun, raundoun, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French randon, randun, Middle French rendon speed, haste (12th cent.), impetuousness, violence (a1356), probably < randir to run fast, gallop (12th cent.), further etymology uncertain: perhaps < the same Germanic base as rand n.1 (see further Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch XVI. at rand).With use in phrases (see sense A. 1) compare Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French de randon , etc., at speed (a1170), Old French, Middle French de grant randon very quickly (13th cent.), Middle French de grand randon impetuously, violently (a1356), Anglo-Norman en un randun in rapid succession, one after another (c1230 or earlier), Old French, Middle French en un randon in one go, uninterrupted (12th or 13th cent.), Anglo-Norman a grant randun in great haste (late 12th or early 13th cent. or earlier). The change of final -n to -m appears to be a development within English; compare ransom n., and see further R. Jordan Handbuch der mittelenglischen Grammatik (1934) §254. The extremely rare Old French form random (see F. Godefroy Dict. de l'ancienne langue française (1880–1902 ) at randon) is probably unconnected. A. n.†1. the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [noun] > sudden or rapid the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [noun] > impetuous ?c1335 (a1300) Land of Cokaygne 132 in W. Heuser (1904) 148 (MED) Þe monkes liȝtiþ noȝt adun, Ac furre fleeþ in o randun. c1380 (1879) 5357 (MED) Gweynes..rod out of þe pauylloun þorw al þat host with gret rendoun, As faste as he may renne. c1425 (c1400) 5636 (MED) He smot to Troyle with gret randoun. 1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre (1913) 57 The ship..hurtlyd again the ground in suche a random and force that hit was all to broken. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour (St. John's Cambr.) v. 632 He..Raucht him sic rout in randoun richt. a1500 (?c1450) 118 (MED) Thei..ronnen a-gein hym with as grete ranndon as their horse myght hem bere. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil i. vi. 149 Behald tuelf swannis in randoun glaid and fair [L. ordine longo]. 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart I. clvii. 191 The frenchmen..came on them with great randon, their speares in their restes. 1594 xxii. sig. H4 Two great waues..meeting together by long randome. 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy vii. xxiv. 265 The barbarous people..fled in this randon beyond their tents. 1611 J. Speed ix. xx. 733/2 The Kings vantgard..giuing in among them with full randon, slew first such Captaines as resisted. 1889 ‘M. Twain’ xv. 180 Two knights came together with great random. the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > continuity or uninterruptedness > [noun] > continuous succession > a continuous series or course > a continuous flow of something immaterial (Harl. 221) 423 Randone, or longe renge of wurdys, or other thyngys, haringga, epistola quedam denominata. a1500 (?c1450) 219 The dragon..caste oute of his throte so grete raundon of fiere in to the aire..that it semed all reade. †2. society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > [noun] > (angle of) elevation ?a1560 L. Digges (1571) sig. Iiv v The vttermost Randon and circuite of the Bullet. 1588 C. Lucar tr. N. Tartaglia 4 How a Table of Randons may be made for any peece of ordinance. 1661 S. Partridge 85 How far will a Cannon carry her Bullet at her best Randon, that carrieth it at point-blank 360 paces. 1731 J. Gray 81 The random and direction of a piece on the plane of the horizon being given..find it's random on an inclined plane. 1792 J. M'Gregor 280 The amplitude is the distance between the object aimed at and the piece, and is sometimes called the random, or range. 1858 D. Olmsted x. 151 Elevation 40°, random 4898: Required the random when the elevation is 29½°?.. Ans[wer] 4263. the world > action or operation > [noun] > sphere or scope of operation 1667 Second Advice in 9 The Duke himself..was not out of Dangers random set. 1697 J. Sergeant Ep. Ded. sig. A4v Fancy let loose to fly at its full Random, and driven forward with a quick Wit. the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [noun] > haphazardness or randomness the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > [noun] > moving without fixed course > a random course 1565 T. Norton & T. Sackville When suche beginning of suche liberties..Shall leaue them to free randon [1561 free to randon] of their will. c1624 T. Lushington Resurrect. Serm. in (1708) II. 480 We follow not the random of their roving, but take the sum of their saying. 1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard i. ii. 58 Making stories, as it is his custom at the random of his own passion, and fancy. 1813 G. Edwards 86 As if the ant and bee..had..proceeded in chaotic randoms upon points actually unascertained in nature. a1881 S. Lanier (1908) 51 O heart, Direct the random of the will. 1938 D. C. Peattie xxx. 213 He had chosen the forks in the road by the random of whim. 1969 13 Nov. 678/3 ‘There's a lot of random in our songs,’ says Paul [McCartney]. the world > the earth > minerals > mineral deposits > [noun] > vein > direction of 1653 E. Manlove 261 Break-offs, and Buckers, Randum of the Rake. 1747 W. Hooson sig. Dijb Observe whether such leading keep its course according to the Randome of the Vein already cut. 1866 We must lower the sump from yon level down to the random of Wiregill lower-level. 1882 J. Lucas Gloss. We're following t'random now. †5. [Compare sense C. 2b.] the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > thread or yarn > [noun] > coloured or patterned 1874 W. Crookes xii. 102 Scarlet Random [etc.]. society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > disposition of stones or bricks > [noun] > types of disposition of stones 1886 H. Cunliffe 71 Random, irregular stone, called also rubble. society > communication > printing > composing equipment > [noun] > chase > parts of 1888 C. T. Jacobi 110 Random, a special frame used by compositors in making-up. 1898 J. Southward I. iv. 29 Making-up Frames..consist of an ordinary whole frame, fitted with a ‘random’—that is, a sloping board, corresponding to a case, with ledges running along it transversely. 1910 A. Bennett i. xii. 101 Under the furniture rack was the ‘random’, full of galleys. 1922 W. H. Sclater I. 82 Randoms, on which new composition is placed for the purpose of being ‘made up’ into column form or page form. 1960 G. A. Glaister 341/2 Random, the sloping work-top of a composing frame. 1971 (Mass. Inst. Technol.) 18 May 2 Students, profs, employees, randoms—send in your feedback cards..with comments. 1991 E. S. Raymond 296 Random, anyone who is not a hacker (or, sometimes, anyone not known to the hacker speaking)..‘The audience was full of randoms asking bogus questions.’ 2004 July 62/3 What if there are loads of randoms just standing there watching? 2006 Feb. 122/2 Having lived at the Chateau Marmont for months, she is now the staff's very own Eloise, careening in and out of the kitchen..and having amazing conversations with total randoms. B. adv.the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [adverb] > randomly or haphazardly the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > [adverb] > without fixed course the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > [adverb] > randomly 1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus 143 The third lightnings of Annibal flew randome at vs by Trasimenus lake. a1620 M. Fotherby (1622) ii. xi. §2. 313 Neither doe they runne randon, nor are they rolled, beside their ancient order. C. adj. 1. the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [adjective] > random or haphazard the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > [adjective] > moving without fixed course the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > [adjective] > random 1655 T. Fuller ix. 203 In vain do stai'd heads make serious comments on light mens random-expressions. a1661 T. Fuller (1662) Flint. 38 Another..assigneth the first of May..about 569. I say not out possibly, a randome date may hap to hit the mark. 1728 A. Pope i. 219 She shows..How random thoughts now meaning chance to find. 1764 R. Burn 190 Leaving the poor to be supported by random charity. 1824 T. Hood O Lady, leave thy Silken Thread (song) in 9 Oct. 89 Stoop where thou wilt, thy careless hand Some random bud will meet. 1827 O. W. Roberts 172 The random and ill-directed fire of the Spaniards. 1877 E. R. Conder iii. 102 The random working of our..intellect. 1900 11 June 3/3 His random aims, his profusion of the national resources. 1932 W. Faulkner vii. 149 Against the..dark bands of trees fireflies drifted and faded, erratic and random. 1969 G. M. Edington & H. M. Gilles ii. 13 The former [methods] determine parasite rates in random blood samples and spleen indices. 1989 A. Davies iv. 42 Random violence shocks and depresses me. 2007 (Nexis) 31 Jan. d1 Their route across the country is a vague line stenciled by chance and random kindness. the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [adjective] > random or pseudorandom the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [adjective] > random or haphazard > produced by a random process 1884 9 229 Applying the Calculus of Probabilities..to the question of whether the distribution of the fixed stars can be regarded as the result of a random sprinkling. 1900 5th Ser. 50 164 The question we wish to determine is whether the sample may be reasonably considered to represent a random system of deviations from the theoretical frequency distribution of the general population. 1927 xv. p. iii These numbers, if truly random, could be used in a very great variety of ways for artificial sampling. 1936 24 232 The simplest assumption, and the one most frequently made, concerning the distribution of the individuals of a plant species, is that it is random, i.e. that the chance that an individual shall occur in a given spot is the same for all spots. 1963 B. Fozard vii. 71 Radioactive disintegrations are truly random, i.e. the probability of a disintegration is independent of the occurrence of other events. 1997 18 35 The surveys differ in their..sample construction (purposive vs. random). the mind > mental capacity > psychology > experimental psychology > stimulus-response > response > [adjective] > unrelated to stimulus 1896 7 556 Beginning with random association the experiment was conditioned, both subjectively and objectively, until complicated judgments were called for. 1911 E. L. Thorndike vi. 242 If the movements are really random, they occur by virtue of some force that works at random. 1935 K. Koffka xiii. 629 Trial and error may then mean that he gets a ‘hunch’ from the data... This would no longer be random activity, but activity determined by the nature of the task. 1965 J. D. Carthy iii. 35 The search may be a random one, as the movements of coccinellids appear to be. 1994 15 77 Felix interprets these as random responses produced in the context of rule teaching and drilling of complex structures for which learners are not ready developmentally. 2. society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > disposition of stones or bricks > [adjective] > specific dispositions 1703 R. Neve at Paving Random-Pavement, (says Mr. Wing) at the Quarry, is worth 2 d. half-penny..per foot. 1776 86 Paving in random Courses, per Foot, superficial..9½ d. 1868 J. Blenkarn 251 The wall to be built in random course. 1886 R. Holland (at cited word) A random wall. 1913 19 Sept. 9/6 Lady Wolesley's old English garden will be characterized by random stone paths. 1978 14 Mar. 27/3 (advt.) Large quantity of church stone and random stone. the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > thread or yarn > [adjective] > coloured or patterned the world > matter > colour > variegation > patch of colour > [adjective] > having cloudy markings 1874 W. Crookes xii. 102 On the large scale the random yarns are coloured in machines. 1928 19 Sept. 7 a (advt.) Random dye—Yarns dyed without uniformity of tone, used in irregular weaves. 1976 6 Nov. 43/2 Work main part as for gnomes but use black and red random dye wool instead of green. 1812 A. Rees (1819) XXII. at Masonry Droving is the same as that called random tooling in England, or boasting in London. 1887 (Archit. Publ. Soc.) Random tooling, called ‘droving’ in Scotland. 1970 E. A. Fisher 214 The inner part of the west jamb seems to be original, ie of the eleventh century: it has no chamfer and shows random tooling. 1993 J. S. Curl 30/2 Random tooling, or irregular texturing using a broad implement without care or regularity. society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > [adjective] c1825 II. No. 60. 6 ‘In my time, Sir’, said he, ‘I've been random and free, But I now prefer order and quiet’. 1873 H. Spencer xv. 371 Continually we remark that men who were random grow steady when they have children to provide for. 1879 J. Hunter-Duvar ii. v. 115 How comes it that thou so random a wench hast become so steady a lad? 1905 V. 32/1 He's a random sort of chap. the mind > mental capacity > expectation > foresight, foreknowledge > prediction, foretelling > [adjective] > capable of being predicted > not 1971 (Mass. Inst. Technol.) 3 Feb. 2/2 274 random nurdulent tools in an 18.02 lecture. 1983 G. L. Steele 108 Random, assorted; various; undistinguished; uninteresting..frivolous..incoherent or inelegant. 1988 11 Dec. (Mag. section) 24/3 ‘This really random guy’ would not be a flattering way of describing a new acquaintance. 1994 A. Heckerling (film script, first shooting draft) (O.E.D. Archive) Green Revised Pages 61 Cher. Hey Summer. Summer. Pretty random fiesta. Cher. Big time. 2007 (Nexis) 10 Feb. 20 A main course of cottage pie was a bit random. Phrases†P1. at (the) random. c1475 (a1376) W. Langland (Douce) (1960) A. i. 93 (MED) At randoun [c1400 Trin. Cambr. Kinges & kniȝtes shulde..riden & rappe doun in reaumes aboute]. 1632 W. Lithgow vi. 264 Wee found twelve..Turkes, ready to receiue vs,..who foorthwith opened at randon the two great Brazen halfes of the Doore. 1486 sig. div If the fowle spryng not bot flee a long after the Reuer and the hawke nym it then ye shall say she slew it at the Raundon. 1602 W. Watson 145 They [sc. Jesuits] haue, like great fawcons or hawkes of the Tower, firmely seazed vpon the pray, kild, at randon, wing, or souce. 1674 N. Cox 91 The Goshawk with her Male the Tiercel, and the Sparrow-hawk, kill their Game by strength and force of Wing at random, and do instantly plume and tire upon their Prey. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > jousting or tilting > [adverb] > manner of encounter 1538 T. Elyot Decursio, Iustes, as at the tylte or randon. 1548 sig. HHhviiiv Al commers beynge gentlemen of name and of armes, Fyrste to ronne .v. courses at the Tylt with peces of auantage, and also .v. courses at Randon with sharpe speres. 1587 A. Fleming et al. (new ed.) III. 833/2 At the randon and turneie the duke of Suffolke hurt a gentleman. a1648 Ld. Herbert (1649) 52 The Laws on Horsebacke were, that with sharpe Speares they should runne five courses at Tilt, and five more at Randon. P2. at random. Without direction or purpose, haphazardly. Originally with suggestion of great speed or lack of consideration, care, or control (from Phrases 1); later without implication of speed or violence.the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > chance [phrase] > by chance the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > changing direction of movement [phrase] > with no fixed course the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > irregular [phrase] > at random 1543 T. Chaloner tr. G. Cousin sig. C iiiv A certaine licenciousnes, or leude libertie..to ronne at randon hither, and thyther, through the wyde worlde perteygninge to no body. 1565 J. Jewel viii. 391 Leaste he happen..to renne at randon. 1593 W. Shakespeare sig. Fiijv Hatefully at randon doest thou hit. View more context for this quotation 1599 H. Porter sig. K Least striking vp and downe at randall, the roge might hurt me. ?1614 W. Drummond Song: It was the time in Psyches Louer hurles his Darts at randon. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. v. 41 He talkes at randon: sure the man is mad. View more context for this quotation 1662 B. Gerbier 16 Not to Build at Randome, as the Custome of too many ill Builders is. 1726 Bp. J. Butler iii. 47 Mankind cannot be considered as a Creature left by his Maker to act at random. 1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre (1799) I. Pref. 9 A few passages, not selected, but picked up at random. 1833 J. Holland II. 33 This composition is then dropped upon the surface..at random, leaving the effect to chance. 1862 B. Brodie II. vi. 193 Eclipses..formerly were supposed to occur at random. 1921 13 309 An event happens at random once in a period m, therefore its chance of occurring in an interval of time or space δt is δt/m. 1951 39 172 The principle of contagion..is that the groups are distributed at random and that the number of individuals in each group is also random. 2005 13 Apr. 12/2 We asked 12 celebrities to hit their iPod shuffle button, which selects songs at random, to reveal their real musical tastes. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. F. L. de Castanheda 162 b The Caruell,..being thus left at randon,..fell vpon certaine Rockes. 1612 T. Studley in (1907) 129 Wingfield and Kendall living in disgrace, (seeing all things at randome in the absence of Smith). 1642 D. Rogers 537 Leaving thy flock and charge at random. 1761 F. Sheridan II. 323 The necessity of his affairs here, which he had left at random, required his presence. 1848 J. Keble Pref. 12 How can there be any comparison of safe or unsafe, if all be left at random? society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > without restraint [phrase] 1590 E. Spenser iii. x. sig. Mm5v The gentle Lady loose at randon lefte, The greene-wood long did walke. 1632 W. Lithgow ix. 388 There was not a Bandit left at randon in all Sicilia. 1692 R. L'Estrange cciv. 175 In the Days of Old, the Birds liv'd at Random in a Lawless State of Anarchy. 1727 W. Somervile 186 In a wild State of Nature, long The Frogs at Random liv'd. 1897 H. Belloc (1954) 255 Huge Wild Boars Live savagely, at random, out of doors. 1630 T. Taylor 86 Christianity is no ranging course, or a running at randome, but a life led by rule. 1655 W. Gouge & T. Gouge (xiii. 20) iv. 138 To shew that Christ is a Shepherd not at random for any sheep; but that he hath a peculiar flock belonging unto him. 1667 J. Milton iv. 930 Thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience. View more context for this quotation 1785 W. Cowper ii. 522 Their answers, vague And all at random, fabulous and dark. 1799 C. B. Brown xxix. 335 My stroke was desperate and at random. a1870 A. L. Gordon (1913) 102 I enclose what you ask in a letter, A short rhyme at random, no more and no less. society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > [adverb] > at specific range ?a1560 L. Digges (1571) Pref. sig. A iij v Science in great Ordinance especially to shoote exactly at Randons. 1588 C. Lucar Appendix 62 in tr. N. Tartaglia To know how he shoote in the said peece at randon. 1612 J. Smith 24 Forty yards will they shoot level or very neare the mark, and 120 is their best at Random. 1669 S. Sturmy v. 67 How to make a good Shot either of Point-blank, or at Random. 1779 R. Tickell 8 Up the full covey springs; Richard at random fires, and only wings. Compounds C1. Compounds of the adverb. 1741 W. Ellis May v. 41 In the Vale among their random sown Horse-beans, the Sheep destroy the wild Oats. 1790 R. Merry 7 Random-cast, beside some stream,..Thou ponder'st. 1862 II. x. §2253 Castellated circular turret, random rubbed; white quartz. 1871 Ld. Tennyson in 19 12 Tristram..sank Down on a drift of foliage random-blown. 1906 T. Hardy v. viii. 244 Ephemeral at the best all honours be,..So random-fashioned, swift, perturbable! 1956 15 Jan. 2/2 The front entrance porch..is 33 feet long and paved with random laid flags. 2004 (Nexis) 18 Aug. a13 The electoral council has agreed to hand count paper ballots against electronic results in 150 random-chosen voting stations. b. 1833 J. C. Loudon §185 Rubble stone, or random jointed ashlar work (free stone, rough as it comes from the quarry, laid in irregular courses). 1848 J. C. Wharton 7 The external walls are built with random-jointed squared ashlar. 1889 26 Aug. The Kibbe sandstone trimmings, together with the rock-face, random jointed ashlar of granite, will form an effective combination. 2006 (Nexis) 1 Apr. Constructed by Danish-American craftsmen in traditional tongue-and-groove joinery, the wood worktops come in three staved variations: continuous, random jointed with a single continuous front stave, and random-jointed staves throughout. C2. Compounds of the adjective. society > computing and information technology > hardware > [noun] > primary storage or main memory > random access society > computing and information technology > data > [noun] > file > accessing files 1950 4 32 One practical way to satisfy the need for quick random access is to scan the entire mass of stored data continuously at a rapid repetition rate. 1953 41 1264/2 The random-access property also makes it easier to operate input, output, and external storage devices out of synchronism with the central computer. 1971 9 Aug. 24/3 The advantage of random access disc storage is that all required files for a specific application will be on-line to the computer when that application is being processed. 1991 Oct. 79/1 Various functions like track access, fast music search,..and random access programming are performed in the same way as an average CD player. 2002 Nov. 51/1 VHS is a strictly linear medium, whereas DVD is designed for random access and interactivity. society > computing and information technology > hardware > [noun] > primary storage or main memory > random access 1953 41 1407/1 The principles and techniques evolved..demonstrate the practicability of an extremely reliable fast random access memory. 1987 B. Leatham-Jones iv. 107 It is practice to feed such peripheral devices from a block of random access memory called a buffer. 1998 Oct. 73/2 When a program running on a computer fails, it sometimes causes the machine to dump, or flush, the contents of a part of its random-access memory. 1939 61 1519/2 (heading) Intramolecular reactions in ‘random’ polymers.] 1942 64 273/1 Turning now to the random copolymer, it is seen from a previously derived formula that [etc.]. 1980 J. D. Ferry (ed. 3) xii. 352 In uniform random copolymers, all the molecules have the same statistical composition. 2001 R. W. Cahn viii. 310 Copolymers, in turn, can be statistically mixed (random copolymers) or else made up of blocks of the two kinds of monomers. the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > distribution 1882 3 2 The compositions do not end, as one might suppose, at different points of the page according to random distribution, but they show a preference for ending at particular points. 1936 24 240 Fig. 5 illustrates the divergence from random distribution. 1967 113 195/2 The use of a completely random distribution lessened the risk that the ‘blind’ nature of the trial might be compromised. 1995 N. Hudson (ed. 3) viii. 180 Sometimes a random distribution of rainfall onto the test plot is achieved by a mechanism to oscillate the drop-former or to rotate it. 1883 10 140 S(δ2) is the sum of the squares of the random errors belonging to the n points. 1936 40 77 The distribution of the components of the velocity fluctuation at any given point appears to follow the ‘random error law’. 1958 H. Goodglass & J. Hunt in 14 202 The subjects' tendency to make random errors due to confusability or to a fluctuating level of comprehension. 1999 7 June 71/2 Parts of a cell's genetic structure which had undergone an accumulation of subtle changes..through random error during cell division. 2002 13 Apr. 28/2 At the evolutionary level scale-free networks may have succeeded not only because they are robust in the face of random errors, but also because they allow variation to take place. the world > matter > physics > science of sound > [noun] > random noise 1937 (Royal Soc.) A. 236 202 The [oscillograph] system permitted a valuable discrimination against random noise. 1973 P. Lord & E. R. Robinson tr. H. Kuttruff viii. 211 The room under investigation..is excited by stationary random noise..with a large frequency bandwidth. 1995 P. Terry in C. Hollin viii. 156 Although the EEG record is typically the product of millions of neurons firing at many different frequencies, computer analyses can allow various contributing patterns to be differentiated from what..may appear to be random noise. the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > involving random generation 1926 18 324 I wish..to thank Mr Tippett for the loan of his set of random numbers, for it is undoubtedly a boon when sampling from an infinite population. 1949 (Internat. Business Machines) 104/2 A random number c lying between 0 and 1 is selected from a store. 1954 1 88 Modern-day usage of high-speed electronic digital computing machines frequently involves the consumption of a very large quantity of random numbers. 1997 8 Nov. 10/1 Obtaining a truly random number is difficult. People are lousy at coming up with them and computers are worse, although programs are available that generate pseudo-random numbers. 1950 A. M. Turing in 59 453 Suppose the digital computer contains a random number generator. 1985 Feb. 178/1 Perhaps the best known random number generator is the now defunct ERNIE,..used to generate winning numbers for Premium Bonds. 2001 C. Taylor & D. Dennett in R. Kane xi. 267 Computers are marvels of determinism. Even their so-called random number generators only execute pseudo-random functions, which produce exactly the same sequence of ‘random’ digits each time the computer reboots. 1984 9 Jan. b12 (advt.) JVC remote controlled 7-disc CD changer with..smart random play. 1993 Oct. 29/4 The random play facility shuffles all the tracks. 2006 (Nexis) 20 Aug. h23 You can..queue up favourites for the evening or rediscover your collection via random play. the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > [noun] > haphazardness or randomness > random process 1888 51 614 Say eighty chapters are selected..by a perfectly random process. 1909 W. S. Tower v. 66 Many of the most valuable oil deposits..have been revealed by the more or less random process of ‘wild-catting’. 1911 8 211 Such means being selected out of this primitive population by a purely random process. 1937 H. Cramér viii. 90 The set of variables Zτ will be said to define a homogeneous random process. 1953 J. B. Carroll vii. 204 Communication theory is forced to regard messages as random processes. 1992 19 Nov. 50/1 Genetic drift refers to a random process of increase or decrease in the frequencies of genes in populations. the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > specific tests or testing > by sampling > at random > sample 1900 63 450 The sequence of second differences in the new table suggests that the data may represent a random sample from a normal distribution. 1948 xxv. p. iii They may be regarded as fair random samples from a normal universe having a zero mean and a unit standard deviation. 1993 E. N. K. Clarkson (ed. 3) ii. 36/1 If a population is very small it will contain only a limited and random sample of the total genetic variability within the whole species. 2004 18 Oct. 89/1 The new breed of pollsters such as Gallup, Archibald Crossley, and Elmo Roper canvassed random samples of a few thousand in person rather than non-random millions through the mail. the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > specific tests or testing > by sampling > at random 1883 8 June 516/1 Continuous random sampling of a given natural class must lead us towards discovering the true proportion of cases of the presence of a predesignated character in individuals of the class. 1962 C. Smith in Oct. 12/2 The telepathic monitors, both robotic and human, kept every thought-band under surveillance by random sampling. 1992 67 3 Sociolinguists have since implicitly abandoned the goal of random sampling, finding the procedures for such sampling either too complex, too time-consuming, or too expensive. the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > specific tests or testing > by sampling > at random 1884 9 232 I believe the numerical value is justified..whether we knew that the urn before us was the result of a random selection, or..had once known, but completely forgotten, which was the preponderating colour. 1925 F. C. Mills xvi. 552 Great care is generally needed in securing a purely random selection. 1967 C. Berners-Lee in G. Wills & R. Yearsley 5 In an agricultural experiment..the classical approach would be to compare unfertilized plots with suitably chosen random selections of plots fertilized with N. 1995 (Royal Hort. Soc.) Nov. (recto rear cover) (advt.) Our world of miniature trees. All are easy to grow... You can of course pop in and see them Monday–Friday! Here is a random selection. society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > [noun] > a shot > type of shot 1598 R. Carew sig. D Some..random shot which wall would pearce, but cannot crase. 1693 N. Luttrell Diary in (1857) III. 9 One of their random shotts killed lieutenant coll. Jackson. 1708 No. 4422/7 The nine Sail stood in fair with us near random Shot. 1786 R. Burns 71 The star that rules my luckless lot..Has blest me with a random-shot O' countra wit. 1788 E. Gibbon (1869) III. lxviii. 716 The first random shots were productive of more sound than effect. 1806 A. Duncan 109 The..ship..had approached within random shot of the Leander. 1849 T. B. Macaulay II. ix. 457 A random shot or the dagger of an assassin might in a moment leave the expedition without a head. 1870 L. Bishop 345 He falls by random shot from Ta-to-kee. 1901 20 Sept. 9/1 What were the chances that a random shot or ray directed into space would hit a star? 2006 (Nexis) 9 Sept. The Joint Military Task Force..were alerted by the random shots on their way past the area. the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > variable 1914 10 180 nDx and nDy are now random variables independent of time. 1937 H. Cramér (title) Random variables and probability distributions. 1973 F. E. Fischer vii. 139 We can think of most discrete random variables as counts (how many heads, children, spades, or accidents?) and most continuous random variables as measures (how tall, long, heavy, or intelligent?). 2004 Dr. K. ii. 56 These car mechanic guys get high-performance cars and get the eprom out of the engine management system and an eprom emulator and then they poke random variables into the eprom emulator. the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > variable 1914 10 342 Now such relations will undoubtedly be very approximately true, if the X's are random variates uncorrelated to each other. 2002 D. Dayananda et al. ix. 177 Simulation models are often stochastic in nature, i.e. they include random variates, the values of which are obtained through some random variate generator. the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > [noun] > in successive, independent steps 1905 K. Pearson in 27 July 294/2 (heading) The problem of the random walk. 1949 3 546 This method of solution of problems in mathematical physics by sampling techniques based on random walk models constitutes what is known as the ‘Monte Carlo’ method. 1990 4 177/1 The method makes use of a random walk through six rotational and translational degrees of freedom. 2004 C. Lynn x. 209 Traders..pored over their charts and tested new systems and prophesied about ways to assign meaning to what others believed may not be much more than a random walk. Derivatives 1824 in (1825) 136 My son Jonathan is but a randomish sort of a chap. 1844 July 384 They were rather a skylarking, randomish, set of blades. 1991 (Nexis) 29 July 17 In this book, he is not even trying... [It] is just a jumbled collection of random-ish events. 1840 G. Darley in I. Introd. p. xxx Most imaginative authors, perhaps, commence random-wise, and..save themselves the trouble of a total invention at first. 1897 60 689 The digits here operated with were all obtained random-wise. 1976 31 Dec. 8/6 Rape..is presently being committed random-wise by vultures with no responsible, appropriate, or respectable court action. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022). randomv. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: random n. Etymology: < random n.With sense 1 perhaps compare Anglo-Norman and Middle French randoner , randuner , etc., to move swiftly (a1174 in Old French; French randonner , now apparently only in senses ‘(of an animal in hunting) to make a circuit around the area where it has been released’ (1875), ‘to go for a hike’ (1896); < randon random n.). Compare Old Occitan randonar to dash forward. rare. 1508 (Chepman & Myllar) sig. avv Apone yat riche river randonit full evin The side wallis war set sad to ye see. 2. the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > move progressively in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > idly or aimlessly society > travel > aspects of travel > travel in specific course or direction > direct one's course [verb (intransitive)] > stray or go astray 1561 T. Norton & T. Sackville i. ii. 127 When such beginning of such liberties..Shall leaue them free to randon [1565 to free randon] of their will. 1840 A. Bartholomew i. lxvi. §612 It [sc. architecture] has started up into the athletic vigour of wild profligacy, and from straightened insipiency, it has randomed into the ocean of corruption. 1889 ‘M. Twain’ xv. 180 They come together with great random, and a spear is brast,..and then the next candidate comes randoming in, and brast his spear. 1889 ‘M. Twain’ xxvii. 349 A thought came randoming overthwart this majestic dream. 2007 Synchronicity in alt.psychology.synchronicity (Usenet newsgroup) 26 Apr. They were on the way to a coffee shop, and I was just randoming around. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > change direction of movement [verb (intransitive)] > move without fixed course ?1602 (MS Bodl. Rawl. poet. 212) (1893) 735 Lett not your iudgments randome. 1614 W. Camden (rev. ed.) 242 That it [sc. the bullet of a sling] pierceth helmet and shield, that it reacheth farther, that it randoneth lesse. the world > existence and causation > causation > chance or causelessness > chance [verb (intransitive)] > come about by chance 1921 R. Frost Let. 15 Apr. in (1964) 127 She wasn't experimenting, poor thing. She was randoming, as Alisande hath it. 1958 A. Ginsberg Let. 2 Mar. in A. Ginsberg & L. Ginsberg (2001) 89 I can't fit all the pieces together in one letter,..the enormous virtues of individuality in America, I'm just randoming now. 1824 W. Carr Gloss. Random, to be in a straight line or direction, ‘Let ya fence random wi' tother.’ This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). <  n.adv.adj.?c1335 v.1508 |
