rand1
[rand]
- (in shoemaking) a strip of leather set in a shoe at the heel before the lifts are attached.
- British Dialect.
- a strip or long slice.
- a border or margin.
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- to provide (footwear) with rands.
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Origin of rand1
before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German rand border, margin
rand2
[rand]
- a coin and monetary unit of the Republic of South Africa, equal to 100 cents. Abbreviation: R.
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Origin of rand2
1960–65; < Afrikaans, after The Rand (Witwatersrand), a major gold mining area
Rand
[rand]
- Ayn [ahyn] /aɪn/, 1905–82, U.S. novelist and essayist, born in Russia.
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Witwatersrand
[wit-waw-terz-rand, -wot-erz-]
- a rocky ridge in S Africa, in the Republic of South Africa, near Johannesburg.
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Also called The Rand.
Rand, The
[rand]
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for rand
Contemporary Examples
Gawker sneered that Uber is "Ayn Rand's favorite car service."
Sadly, Rand does not bring much in the way of diversity to the GOP ticket.
Sen. Rand Paul, however, resisted gushing--in keeping with his contrarian brand.
An HIV scare, Rand Paul talking points, and a (maybe) proposition.
Republicans need to rebuild their brand, which Rand Paul said quite graphically “sucks.”
Historical Examples
We'll get more ounces to the ton out of our crushings than they ever heard of on the Rand, too.
The Market-PlaceHarold Frederic
In no other way could she remain in the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street GirlFrederick Orin Bartlett
And this man had nothing whatever to do with the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street GirlFrederick Orin Bartlett
Then he kept on downtown toward the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street GirlFrederick Orin Bartlett
And Rand went back to Omaha satisfied that the charges were all conspiracy.
Marion's Faith.Charles King
rand1
- the standard monetary unit of the Republic of South Africa, divided into 100 cents
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Word Origin
C20: from Afrikaans, shortened from Witwatersrand, referring to the gold-mining there; related to rand ²
rand2
- shoemaking a leather strip put in the heel of a shoe before the lifts are put on
- dialect
- a strip or margin; border
- a strip of cloth; selvage
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Word Origin
Old English; related to Old High German rant border, rim of a shield, Old Norse rönd shield, rim
Rand
- the Rand short for Witwatersrand
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Witwatersrand
- a rocky ridge in NE South Africa: contains the richest gold deposits in the world, also coal and manganese; chief industrial centre is Johannesburg. Height: 1500–1800 m (5000–6000 ft)Also called: the Rand, the Reef
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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
Word Origin and History for rand
n.
"rocky ridge overlooking a river valley," 1839, South African English, from Afrikaans, from Dutch rand "edge, margin," cognate with Old English rand "brink, bank." As a unit of currency, adopted by the Republic of South Africa in 1961 (see Krugerrand). Johnson's dictionary has rand "Border; seam: as the rand of a woman's shoe."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper