rand

Etymology 1

From Middle English rand, from Old English rand (“edge, border, margin, rim, shore”), from Proto-Germanic *randaz, *randō (“edge, rim, crust”), from Proto-Indo-European *rem- (“to rest, prop or support oneself”). Cognate with Dutch rand (“edge, border, outskirts, rim”), German Rand (“edge, border, margin, rim, outskirts”), Swedish rand (“rand, stripe, edge, verge”). Related to rind.

noun

1. (obsolete, now dialect) The border of an area of land, especially marshland.
2. (obsolete, now dialect) A strip of meat; a long fleshy piece of beef, cut from the flank or leg; a sort of steak.
3. (dialect) A border, edge or rim.
   At the wald's rand.
4. A strip of leather used to fit the heels of a shoe.
5. (basket-making) A single rod woven in and out of the stakes.

Etymology 2

Named after Witwatersrand; the last element is Afrikaans rand (“ridge”), from Dutch rand, from Old Saxon rand, from Germanic *randaz. Compare Etymology 1, and Rand.

noun

1. A rocky slope, especially the area over a river valley; specifically, the Rand
2. The currency of South Africa, divided into 100 cents.

Etymology 3

See rant.

verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To rant; to storm.

Etymology 4

Shortened from random.

noun

1. (programming) A random number.