at random
Save This Word!
Without order or fixed purpose, haphazardly, as in Jackson Pollock dropped paints on canvas seemingly at random. Originally this phrase meant “very speedily” and “heedlessly.” Shakespeare had the present usage in 1 Henry VI (5:3): “He talks at random; sure the man is mad.” [Late 1500s]
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Words nearby at random
at peace, at present, atrabilious, atracurium besylate, Atrahasis, at random, atraumatic suture, atrazine, Atrek, atremble, atresia
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Example sentences from the Web for at random
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
Wild Weather Words You Need To Know
What Is “GOP” Short For?