rand

[rand]

noun

(in shoemaking) a strip of leather set in a shoe at the heel before the lifts are attached.
British Dialect.
1. a strip or long slice.
2. a border or margin.

verb (used with object)

to provide (footwear) with rands.

Origin of rand

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

rand

[rand]

noun

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

Origin of rand

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

Rand

[rand]

noun

Ayn [ahyn] /aɪn/, 1905–82, U.S. novelist and essayist, born in Russia.

Witwatersrand

[wit-waw-terz-rand, -wot-erz-]

noun

a rocky ridge in S Africa, in the Republic of South Africa, near Johannesburg.

Also called The Rand.

Rand, The

[rand]

noun

Witwatersrand.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rand

Contemporary Examples of rand

Gawker sneered that Uber is "Ayn Rand's favorite car service."
In Defense of Uber’s Awful Sydney Surge Pricing
Olivia Nuzzi
December 16, 2014
Sadly, Rand does not bring much in the way of diversity to the GOP ticket.
Why 2016’s Hopefuls Are Hopeless
P. J. O’Rourke
November 22, 2014
Sen. Rand Paul, however, resisted gushing--in keeping with his contrarian brand.
Kissy-Face The Nation: Washington’s Power Elite Smooch Bob Schieffer
Lloyd Grove
November 18, 2014
An HIV scare, Rand Paul talking points, and a (maybe) proposition.
My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star
Emily Shire
November 12, 2014
Republicans need to rebuild their brand, which Rand Paul said quite graphically “sucks.”
Can Obama and a Republican Senate Find Common Ground?
Eleanor Clift
November 4, 2014

Historical Examples of rand

We'll get more ounces to the ton out of our crushings than they ever heard of on the Rand, too.
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic
In no other way could she remain in the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street Girl
Frederick Orin Bartlett
And this man had nothing whatever to do with the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street Girl
Frederick Orin Bartlett
Then he kept on downtown toward the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves.
The Wall Street Girl
Frederick Orin Bartlett
And Rand went back to Omaha satisfied that the charges were all conspiracy.
Marion's Faith.
Charles King

British Dictionary definitions for rand

rand

noun

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

Word Origin for rand

C20: from Afrikaans, shortened from Witwatersrand, referring to the gold-mining there; related to rand ²

rand

noun

shoemaking a leather strip put in the heel of a shoe before the lifts are put on
dialect
1. a strip or margin; border
2. a strip of cloth; selvage

Word Origin for rand

Old English; related to Old High German rant border, rim of a shield, Old Norse rönd shield, rim

Rand

noun

the Rand short for Witwatersrand

Witwatersrand

noun

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

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

"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."