Habnab

/ˈhæbnæb/ adverb

Definition

At random; by chance or without planning; hit or miss.

Etymology

Of uncertain origin, possibly from reduplication of 'hab' (have) and 'nab' (not have), creating a playful Middle English expression meaning alternately having and not having.

Kelly Says

Habnab is a delightfully onomatopoetic word that sounds like chaos itself—the repetition suggests unpredictability, and it was popular in Middle English before being largely replaced by 'helter-skelter' and 'haphazard.'

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