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  • rand
    rand
    noun
    (in shoemaking) a strip of leather set in a shoe at the heel before the lifts are attached.
  • Rand
    Rand
    noun
    Ayn 1905–82, U.S. novelist and essayist, born in Russia.

rand

1 American  
[rand] / rænd /

noun

  1. (in shoemaking) a strip of leather set in a shoe at the heel before the lifts are attached.

  2. British Dialect.

    1. a strip or long slice.

    2. a border or margin.

verb (used with object)

  1. to provide (footwear) with rands.

rand 2 American  
[rand] / rænd /

noun

  1. a coin and monetary unit of the Republic of South Africa, equal to 100 cents. R.

Rand 3 American  
[rand] / rænd /

noun

  1. Ayn 1905–82, U.S. novelist and essayist, born in Russia.

rand 1 British  
/ rænd /

noun

  1. shoemaking a leather strip put in the heel of a shoe before the lifts are put on

  2. dialect

    1. a strip or margin; border

    2. a strip of cloth; selvage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Rand 2 British  
/ rænd /

noun

  1. short for Witwatersrand

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
rand 3 British  
/ rɒnt, rænd /

noun

  1. the standard monetary unit of the Republic of South Africa, divided into 100 cents

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rand1

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German rand border, margin

Origin of rand2

1960–65; from Afrikaans, after The Rand ( def. ) (Witwatersrand), a major gold mining area

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The court also heard that one of the victims of Wednesday's attack, Shloime Rand, has now been discharged from hospital.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Another friend, who asked not to be identified, told the BBC Rand was on his way to work after morning prayers when he was attacked.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

About 1 in 7 Americans 18 to 24, according to a recent Rand study, are neither working nor looking for work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Vance getups or Marco Rubio costumes, let alone decked out in Ted Cruz–themed bling or Rand Paul merch.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

Mr. Dandridge gave me a letter to take along with other necessary documents to the pass offices of the West Rand Board.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.