arbitrarily pick

[ahr-bi-TRER-uh-lee PIK]
verb phrase
escolher arbitrariamente
1. to choose or select something without a logical reason, method, or justification; to select randomly or capriciously
The teacher arbitrarily picked students to answer questions without raising their hands.
A professora escolheu arbitrariamente alunos para responder perguntas sem levantar a mão.
2. to select something based on personal preference or whim rather than objective criteria
He arbitrarily picked the blue shirt over the red one without any particular reason.
Ele escolheu arbitrariamente a camisa azul em vez da vermelha sem nenhuma razão específica.
In Brazilian business and academic contexts, 'escolher arbitrariamente' is often used critically to describe unfair or unjustified decisions. In American English, 'arbitrarily pick' is commonly used in educational settings when teachers select students randomly, or in bureaucratic contexts to describe seemingly unfair selections.
NYC Slang
pick outta thin air
Synonyms / Sinônimos
randomly selectchoose haphazardlypick at randomselect capriciouslychoose without reason
Antonyms / Antônimos
carefully selectmethodically choosedeliberately pickstrategically select

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
escolher arbitrariamente
Standard and widely understood across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
pegar de qualquer jeito
More colloquial alternative used in casual speech
São Paulo
escolher do nada
Informal variant meaning 'choose out of nowhere'
Portugal
escolher arbitrariamente
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; 'escolher à sorte' also used for random selection

Related Words

arbitraryarbitrarinessrandom selectioncapricious choicewhimsical decision

Related Idioms & Phrases

pick out of a hat
choose on a whim
throw a dart at the wall
pick blindfolded
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