arbitrary

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arbitrary

1. Maths not representing any specific value
2. Law (esp of a penalty or punishment) not laid down by statute; within the court's discretion
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

arbitrary

Varying. Inconsistent. For example, many technical concepts, programming language commands and programming calls (APIs) have arbitrary names that were chosen without being carefully thought out. See naming fiascos.
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And so when we encounter the rise and persistence of the arbitraries (7) in chapter 6, we read that these fictitious quantities are nonetheless written out in detail, haggled over, and shape expectations about pay and costs.
Institute on California and the West Railroaded Workshop, Huntington Library, San Marino, CA, July 9, 2011: capitalism, counterfactuals, and the national state: reflections on Richard White's Railroaded
Rate arbitraries (for example, additional charges for remote areas)
Want to avoid surprises? Know the rules!

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