pick haphazardly

[/pɪk ˌhæpəˈzɑrdli/]
verb phrase
escolher ao acaso
1. to select or choose something in a random, disorganized, or unmethodical manner without careful consideration
She picked haphazardly from the pile of clothes without looking at what she was grabbing.
Ela escolheu ao acaso da pilha de roupas sem olhar o que estava pegando.
2. to gather or collect items in an unsystematic way
The children picked haphazardly at the fruit stand, selecting whatever caught their eye.
As crianças escolheram ao acaso na barraca de frutas, selecionando tudo que chamava a atenção.
In American English, this phrase reflects a casual, often dismissive approach to decision-making. In Brazilian Portuguese, 'escolher ao acaso' conveys a similar sense of randomness and lack of deliberation. Both cultures understand this as an informal way of describing careless or unsystematic selection, common in everyday speech when referring to spontaneous choices without forethought.
NYC Slang
pick whatever
Synonyms / Sinônimos
pick randomlyselect carelesslychoose unsystematicallypick at randomgrab indiscriminately
Antonyms / Antônimos
pick carefullyselect methodicallychoose deliberatelypick systematicallyselect thoughtfully

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
escolher ao acaso
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
pegar na cata
More colloquial variant
São Paulo
escolher de qualquer jeito
Informal variant emphasizing lack of method
Portugal
escolher à sorte
European Portuguese variant meaning literally 'choose by luck'

Related Words

haphazardrandom selectionunsystematicarbitrary choiceindiscriminate picking

Related Idioms & Phrases

pick and choose
hit or miss
shot in the dark
any which way
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