Part 35

2. A roving motion; course without definite direction; want of direction, rule, or method; hazard; chance; -- commonly used in the phrase at random, that is, without a settled point of direction; at hazard.

Counsels, when they fly At random, sometimes hit most happily.

Herrick.

O, many a shaft, at random sent, Finds mark the archer little meant!

Sir W. Scott.

3. Distance to which a missile is cast; range; reach; as, the random of a rifle ball. Sir K. Digby.

4. (Mining) The direction of a rake- vein. Raymond.

Ran"dom, a. Going at random or by chance; done or made at hazard, or without settled direction, aim, or purpose; hazarded without previous calculation; left to chance; haphazard; as, a random guess.

Some random truths he can impart.

Wordsworth.

So sharp a spur to the lazy, and so strong a bridle to the random.

H. Spencer.

Random courses (Masonry), courses of stone of unequal thickness. -- Random shot, a shot not directed or aimed toward any particular object, or a shot with the muzzle of the gun much elevated. -- Random work (Masonry), stonework consisting of stones of unequal sizes fitted together, but not in courses nor always with flat beds.

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Ran"dom*ly (rn"dm*l), adv. In a random manner.

Ran"don (-dn), n. Random. [Obs.] Spenser.

Ran"don, v. i. To go or stray at random. [Obs.]

Rane"deer` (rn"dr`), n. See Reindeer. [Obs.]

||Ra"nee (rä"n), n. Same as Rani.

Ran"force` (rn"frs`), n. [Cf. F. renforcer.] See Reënforce. [Obs.] Bailey.

Rang (rng), imp. of Ring, v. t. & i.

Range (rnj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ranged (rnjd); p. pr. & vb. n. Ranging (rn"jng).] [OE. rengen, OF. rengier, F. ranger, OF. renc row, rank, F. rang; of German origin. See Rank, n.] 1. To set in a row, or in rows; to place in a regular line or lines, or in ranks; to dispose in the proper order; to rank; as, to range soldiers in line.

Maccabeus ranged his army by bands.

2 Macc. xii. 20.

2. To place (as a single individual) among others in a line, row, or order, as in the ranks of an army; -- usually, reflexively and figuratively, (in the sense) to espouse a cause, to join a party, etc.

It would be absurd in me to range myself on the side of the Duke of Bedford and the corresponding society.

Burke.

3. To separate into parts; to sift. [Obs.] Holland.