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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.

See Examples For:

The company’s board declared a final dividend of 4.90 rand a share and an additional ordinary dividend of 9.55 rand a share, compared with a final dividend of 1.65 rand for fiscal 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Citi has a buy recommendation on the stock and a 325 South African rand target price.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Analysts had expected revenue of 167.53 billion rand, according to the FactSet-provided consensus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

The South Africa-based telecommunications company—which is majority-owned by Vodafone Group VOD 1.43%increase; green up pointing triangle —raised its final dividend for the year ended March 31 by 21% to 4.05 rand a share.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

I had spent my last rand and had no fare to get home.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

“I don’t think anyone will be surprised if there are no significant agreements,” said David Ochmanek, a senior researcher at Rand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Under that deal, Rand Refinery is expected to take a 15% stake in the business and could boost its holding in the coming years, Subramanian said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

That has the Rand Refinery looking to other African nations to source ASM gold it can turn into legitimate bars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

The Rand report concluded that companies are disclosing less information about programs for veterans, suggesting that the programs themselves have likely shrunk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

After leaving government service, he had decided to return to the Rand Corporation, where he’d worked before joining the Pentagon.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

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