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arbitrary

   Also found in: Legal, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
ar·bi·trar·y  (ärb-trr)
adj.
1. Determined by chance, whim, or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle: stopped at the first motel we passed, an arbitrary choice.
2. Based on or subject to individual judgment or preference: The diet imposes overall calorie limits, but daily menus are arbitrary.
3. Established by a court or judge rather than by a specific law or statute: an arbitrary penalty.
4. Not limited by law; despotic: the arbitrary rule of a dictator.

[Middle English arbitrarie, from Latin arbitrrius, from arbiter, arbitr-, arbiter; see arbiter.]

arbi·trari·ly (-trâr-l) adv.
arbi·trari·ness n.
Synonyms: arbitrary, capricious, whimsical
These adjectives mean determined by or arising from whim or caprice rather than judgment or reason: an arbitrary decision; a capricious refusal; a whimsical remark.

arbitrary
Adjective
1. not done according to any plan or for any particular reason
2. without consideration for the wishes of others: the arbitrary power of the king
arbitrarily adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.arbitrary - based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice; "an arbitrary decision"; "the arbitrary rule of a dictator"; "an arbitrary penalty"; "of arbitrary size and shape"; "an arbitrary choice"; "arbitrary division of the group into halves"
nonarbitrary, unarbitrary - not subject to individual determination

arbitrary
Translations
Spanish arbitrary [ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ] adjarbitrario
French arbitrary [ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ] adjarbitraire
German arbitrary [ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ] adjwillkürlich
Italian arbitrary [ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ] adjarbitrario/a

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Laws of motion of any kind become comprehensible to man only when he examines arbitrarily selected elements of that motion; but at the same time, a large proportion of human error comes from the arbitrary division of continuous motion into discontinuous elements.
It seemed intolerable that I should endure existence subject to the arbitrary visitations of a Magician who could thus play tricks with one's very stomach.
This classification is evidently not arbitrary like the grouping of the stars in constellations.
 
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