arbitrariness


Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ar·bi·trar·y

 (är′bĭ-trĕr′ē)
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. Law Relating to a decision made by a court or legislature that lacks a grounding in law or fact: an arbitrary penalty.
4. Not limited by law; despotic: the arbitrary rule of a dictator.

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

ar′bi·trar′i·ly (-trâr′ə-lē) adv.
ar′bi·trar′i·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.arbitrariness - the trait of acting unpredictably and more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment; "I despair at the flightiness and whimsicality of my memory"
irresponsibility, irresponsibleness - a form of untrustworthiness; the trait of lacking a sense of responsibility and not feeling accountable for your actions
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
libovolnost

arbitrariness

[ˈɑːbɪtrərɪnɪs] Narbitrariedad f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

arbitrariness

[ˈɑːrbɪtrərinəs] narbitraire m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

arbitrariness

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in classic literature ?
As its holiest, it once loved "Thou-shalt": now is it forced to find illusion and arbitrariness even in the holiest things, that it may capture freedom from its love: the lion is needed for this capture.
Nicholas, though he had never seen Ilagin, with his usual absence of moderation in judgment, hated him cordially from reports of his arbitrariness and violence, and regarded him as his bitterest foe.
Whereas Fever had obscure conditions, and gave him that delightful labor of the imagination which is not mere arbitrariness, but the exercise of disciplined power--combining and constructing with the clearest eye for probabilities and the fullest obedience to knowledge; and then, in yet more energetic alliance with impartial Nature, standing aloof to invent tests by which to try its own work.
The illogicality of their attitude, the arbitrariness of their conclusions, the frequency of the exceptional, should present no difficulty to a student of many grammars; but there must be something else in the way, some special human trait--one of those subtle differences that are beyond the ken of mere professors.
In their intimacy of back yard and front gar- den he talked with her paternally, reasonably, and dogmatically, with a touch of arbitrariness. They met on the ground of unreserved confidence, which was authenticated by an affectionate wink now and then.
It is unworthy even to call an "army" the Armenian armed forces, which represents robbery, mass embezzlement, beatings of servicemen, numerous non-combat losses, arbitrariness and hazing.
During the initial interrogation, it was understood that the reason for the desertion of the Armenian serviceman was the arbitrariness prevailing in the military unit of the enemy, as well as an unbearable and inhuman attitude towards the military personnel.
This is confrontation of law and arbitrariness," the President emphasized.
Ladan Salihu further said that: 'We in Bauchi are conversant with the APC National Chairman's politics of arbitrariness, grandstanding and impunity which wreaked havoc to his party and the peoples of Zamfara, Rivers, Adamawa, Sokoto and Bauchi States.
'Interference with the decision making process is warranted where it is vitiated on account of arbitrariness, illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety or where it is actuated by malafides.
The statement stressed that the blocs of the new generation movement will remain united and will continue their tasks in the fight against tyranny of power and arbitrariness and corruption./ End
In principle Innerarity agrees with measures to limit the arbitrariness of power, but believes that the central threat to democracy at this time is of politics becoming non-essential.