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Swift vs Random - What's the difference?

swift | random | Related terms |

In obsolete terms the difference between swift and random

is that swift is the current of a stream while random is speed, full speed; impetuosity, force.

As an adverb swift

is swiftly.

As a proper noun Swift

is {{surname|from=nicknames}}, originally a nickname for a swift or quick person.

As an initialism SWIFT

is society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

swift

English

Adjective

(er)
  • fast; quick; rapid.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=November 12 , author= , title=International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Spain were provoked into a response and Villa almost provided a swift equaliser when he rounded Hart but found the angle too acute and could only hit the side-netting.}}
  • Capable of moving at high speeds.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) The current of a stream.
  • A small plain-colored bird of the family Apodidae that resembles a swallow and is noted for its rapid flight. Other common names for the birds of this family include swiftlet, needletail and spinetail.
  • Some lizards of the genus .
  • A moth of the family , (swift moth), ghost moth.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= William E. Conner
    • , title= An Acoustic Arms Race , volume=101, issue=3, page=206-7, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them.}}

    Synonyms

    * (lizard) (fence lizard), (spiny lizard)

    Derived terms

    * (steam) swiftwater, * (bird) (common swift) () * (lizard) (fence swift) ()

    Derived terms

    * swiftly

    See also

    * (black martin) * (black swift) * (hawk swallow) * devil bird * devil screecher * (swingdevil) * (screech martin) * shriek owl * (chimney swallow) * (palm swift) * (tree swift) * (pine lizard)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete, poetic) Swiftly.
  • * 1602 , , II. iii. 263:
    • Light boats sail swift , though greater hulks draw deep.
  • * 1793 ,
    • Ply swift and strong the oar.

    Synonyms

    * (l) ----

    random

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A roving motion; course without definite direction; lack of rule or method; chance.
  • * (1591-1674)
  • *:Counsels, when they fly / At random , sometimes hit most happily.
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:O, many a shaft, at random sent, / Finds mark the archer little meant!
  • (label) Speed, full speed; impetuosity, force.
  • *:
  • *:they were messagers vnto kyng Ban & Bors sent from kynge Arthur / therfor said the viij knyghtes ye shalle dye or be prysoners / for we ben knyghtes of kyng Claudas And therwith two of them dressid theire sperys / and Vlfyus and Brastias dressid theire speres and ranne to gyder with grete raundon
  • *(Edward Hall) (1497-1547)
  • *:For courageously the two kings newly fought with great random and force.
  • *1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, page 144:
  • *:Fortie yards will they shoot levell, or very neare the marke, and 120 is their best at Random .
  • :
  • :
  • (label) The direction of a rake-vein.
  • :(Raymond)

    • Synonyms

    * force, momentum, speed, velocity * (unimportant person) nobody, nonentity

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having unpredictable outcomes and, in the ideal case, all outcomes equally probable; resulting from such selection; lacking statistical correlation.
    • The flip of a fair coin is purely random .
    The newspaper conducted a random sample of five hundred American teenagers.
    The results of the field survey look random by several different measures.
  • * July 18 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]
    • Where the Joker preys on our fears of random , irrational acts of terror, Bane has an all-consuming, dictatorial agenda that’s more stable and permanent, a New World Order that’s been planned out with the precision of a military coup.
  • (mathematics) Of or relating to probability distribution.
    • A toss of loaded dice is still random , though biased.
  • (computing) Pseudorandom; mimicking the result of random selection.
    • The rand function generates a random number from a seed.
  • (somewhat colloquial) Representative and undistinguished; typical and average; selected for no particular reason.
    • A random American off the street couldn't tell the difference.
  • (somewhat colloquial) Apropos of nothing; lacking context; unexpected; having apparent lack of plan, cause or reason.
    • That was a completely random comment.
    The teacher's bartending story was interesting, but random .
    The narrative takes a random course.
  • (colloquial) Characterized by or often saying random things; habitually using non sequiturs.
    • You're so random !

    Synonyms

    * (having unpredictable outcomes) * (of or relating to probability distribution) stochastic * (pseudorandom) pseudorandom * (representative and undistinguished) average, typical * (lacking context) arbitrary, unexpected, unplanned

    Derived terms

    * at random * non-random * pseudorandom * randomer * randomise, randomize * randomness * random number * randomly * randomology * randomosity

    See also

    * (Randomness)

    Anagrams

    *