irregular

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Related to irregular: irregular periods, Irregular heartbeat, Irregular polygon

ir·reg·u·lar

(ĭ-rĕg′yə-lər)

adj.

1. Contrary to rule, accepted order, or general practice: irregular hiring practices.

2. Not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention: an irregular marriage.

3. Not straight, uniform, or symmetrical: irregular facial features.

4. Of uneven rate, occurrence, or duration: an irregular heartbeat.

5. Deviating from a type; atypical.

6. Botany Having differing floral parts, as of a zygomorphic or asymmetric flower.

7. Falling below the manufacturer's standard or usual specifications; imperfect.

8. Grammar Departing from the usual pattern of inflection, derivation, or word formation, as the present forms of the verb be or the plural noun children.

9. Not belonging to a permanent, organized military force: irregular troops.

1. One, such as an item of merchandise, that is irregular.

2. A soldier, such as a guerrilla, who is not a member of a regular military force.

ir·reg′u·lar·ly adv.

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.

irregular

(ɪˈrɛɡjʊlə)

adj

1. lacking uniformity or symmetry; uneven in shape, position, arrangement, etc

2. not occurring at expected or equal intervals: an irregular pulse.

3. differing from the normal or accepted practice or routine

4. not according to established standards of behaviour; unconventional

5. (Grammar) (of the formation, inflections, or derivations of a word) not following the usual pattern of formation in a language, as English plurals ending other than in -s or -es

6. (Military) of or relating to guerrillas or volunteers not belonging to regular forces: irregular troops.

7. (Botany) (of flowers) having any of their parts, esp petals, differing in size, shape, etc; asymmetric

8. (Commerce) US (of merchandise) not up to the manufacturer's standards or specifications; flawed; imperfect

9. (Military) a soldier not in a regular army

10. (Commerce) (often plural) US imperfect or flawed merchandise. Compare second¹¹⁵

irˈregularly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ir•reg•u•lar

(ɪˈrɛg yə lər)

adj.

1. lacking symmetry, even shape, formal arrangement, etc.: an irregular pattern.

2. variable in timing or rhythm; erratic: irregular intervals.

3. not conforming to established rules, etiquette, morality, etc.

4. not according to rule or to the accepted principle, method, course, order, etc.

5. not conforming to the prevalent pattern of formation, inflection, etc., in a language, as English verbs that do not form the past tense by adding -ed: the irregular verbs keep and see.

6. (formerly, of troops) not belonging to an organized group of established military forces.

7. flawed, damaged, or failing to meet a specific standard of manufacture: a sale of irregular shirts.

8. Bot. lacking uniformity, as a flower with petals of varied shapes.

9. a person or thing that is irregular.

10. a product or material that does not meet specifications or standards of the manufacturer, as one having imperfections in its pattern.

11. a combatant not of a regular military force, as a guerrilla.

[1350–1400; < Middle English < Middle French < Late Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	irregular - a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment guerilla, guerrilla, insurgent guerilla force, guerrilla force - an irregular armed force that fights by sabotage and harassment; often rural and organized in large groups Maquis, Maquisard - a guerrilla fighter in the French underground in World War II urban guerrilla - a guerrilla who fights only in cities and towns warrior - someone engaged in or experienced in warfare
	2.	irregular - merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name second merchandise, product, ware - commodities offered for sale; "good business depends on having good merchandise"; "that store offers a variety of products"
Adj.	1.	irregular - contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; "irregular hiring practices" illegal - prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules; "an illegal chess move" unrhythmic, unrhythmical - not rhythmic; irregular in beat or accent rough, unsmooth - having or caused by an irregular surface; "trees with rough bark"; "rough ground"; "rough skin"; "rough blankets"; "his unsmooth face" unsteady - subject to change or variation; "her unsteady walk"; "his hand was unsteady as he poured the wine"; "an unsteady voice" asymmetric, asymmetrical - characterized by asymmetry in the spatial arrangement or placement of parts or components unsystematic - lacking systematic arrangement or method or organization; "unsystematic and fragmentary records"; "he works in an unsystematic manner" regular - in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle; "his regular calls on his customers"; "regular meals"; "regular duties"
	2.	irregular - not occurring at expected times unpredictable sporadic - recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances; "a city subjected to sporadic bombing raids"
	3.	irregular - (used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces; "irregular troops"; "irregular warfare" partisan, partizan - devoted to a cause or party regular - (used of the military) belonging to or engaged in by legitimate army forces; "the regular army"
	4.	irregular - (of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement regular - (of solids) having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume can be determined with a suitable geometric formula
	5.	irregular - falling below the manufacturer's standard; "irregular jeans" imperfect - not perfect; defective or inadequate; "had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities"; "imperfect mortals"; "drainage here is imperfect"
	6.	irregular - deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; "these days large families are atypical"; "atypical clinical findings"; "atypical pneumonia"; "highly irregular behavior" atypical abnormal, unnatural - not normal; not typical or usual or regular or conforming to a norm; "abnormal powers of concentration"; "abnormal amounts of rain"; "abnormal circumstances"; "an abnormal interest in food"
	7.	irregular - lacking continuity or regularity; "an irregular worker"; "employed on a temporary basis" temporary parttime, part-time - involving less than the standard or customary time for an activity; "part-time employees"; "a part-time job"
	8.	irregular - (of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical; "walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface" uneven - not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture; "an uneven color"; "uneven ground"; "uneven margins"; "wood with an uneven grain"
	9.	irregular - independent in behavior or thought; "she led a somewhat irregular private life"; "maverick politicians" maverick, unorthodox unconventional - not conforming to accepted rules or standards; "her unconventional dress and hair style"

irregular

adjective

1. variable, inconsistent, erratic, shifting, occasional, random, casual, shaky, wavering, uneven, fluctuating, eccentric, patchy, sporadic, intermittent, haphazard, unsteady, desultory, fitful, spasmodic, unsystematic, inconstant, nonuniform, unmethodical She was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.
variable steady, reliable, systematic, methodical, punctual, invariable

2. uneven, broken, rough, twisted, twisting, curving, pitted, ragged, crooked, unequal, jagged, bumpy, lumpy, serpentine, contorted, lopsided, craggy, indented, asymmetrical, serrated, holey, unsymmetrical He had bad teeth, irregular and discoloured.
uneven even, regular, symmetrical, balanced, equal, smooth

3. inappropriate, unconventional, improper, unethical, odd, unusual, extraordinary, disorderly, exceptional, peculiar, unofficial, abnormal, queer, rum (Brit. slang), back-door, unsuitable, unorthodox, out-of-order, unprofessional, anomalous The minister was accused of irregular business practices.

4. unofficial, underground, guerrilla, volunteer, resistance, partisan, rogue, paramilitary, mercenary At least 17 irregular units are involved in the war. unconventional standard, conventional, regular, normal, usual, appropriate, proper, orthodox

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

irregular

adjective

1. Not straight, uniform, or symmetrical:

asymmetric, asymmetrical.

2. Departing from the normal:

aberrant, abnormal, anomalistic, anomalous, atypic, atypical, deviant, divergent, preternatural, unnatural.

Translations

غَيْر قِياسيغَيْر مُتّسِق، غَيْر نِظاميغَيْرُ مُنْتَظَمٌمُتَقَطِّع، غَيْر مُنْتَظَممُخالِف للأُصول والقَوانين

nepravidelnýneregulérníneuspořádaný

uregelmæssigureglementeretujævn

unregelmäßig irregulär regellos

ακανόνιστος

irregular

epäsäännöllinensäännötön

irrégulier franc-tireur

nepravilan

rendhagyószabálytalan

ójafnóreglulegursem brÿtur í bága viî lög

irregolare saltuario eteroclito

ふぞろいの

불규칙한

nelygiainereguliarumasnetaisyklingumas

nedisciplinētsnekārtīgsnekārtnsnelīdzensneregulārs

onregelmatig

uregelmessig ureglementert

nieregularny

irregular

непостоянный

nepravidelnýnesúmerný

neenakomerennepravilennereden

oregelbunden

ไม่สม่ำเสมอ

düzensizkurallara aykırıkuralsızusulsüz çarpık

bất quy tắc

不合常规的不整齐的不规则变化的不规则的无规律的

irregular

[ɪˈregjʊləʳ]

A. ADJ

1. (= uneven) [shape, surface, pattern] → irregular
John had sharp, irregular features → las facciones de John eran duras, irregulares
an irregular pentagon (Geom) (= asymmetrical) → un pentágono irregular

2. (= spasmodic) [attendance, meals, breathing, heartbeat] → irregular
he is very irregular in his attendance → no asiste de forma regular
he leads a very irregular life → lleva una vida muy irregular
I am not usually irregular (euph) → normalmente voy como un reloj
to keep irregular hours → tener un horario irregular
at irregular intervals → a intervalos irregulares

3. (= unorthodox) [practice] → poco ortodoxo, irregular; [treatment] → poco ortodoxo; [action] → poco ortodoxo, contrario a la práctica; [payment] → irregular
her behaviour was irregular, to say the least → su comportamiento era un tanto irregular, por no decir algo peor
irregular business practices → negocios mpl poco ortodoxos
all this is very irregular → todo esto es muy poco ortodoxo
this is most irregular! → ¡esto es totalmente inadmisible!
it was highly irregular of Blake to do it alone → era totalmente contrario a la práctica que Blake lo hiciese solo

4. (Ling) [verb, adjective, noun] → irregular

5. (Mil) [soldiers, forces, troops] → irregular

B. N → soldado mf irregular

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

irregular

[ɪˈrɛgjʊlə^r] adj

[interval, meal] → irrégulier/ière
at irregular intervals → à intervalles irréguliers
to work irregular hours → avoir des horaires irréguliers

[heartbeat, period] → irrégulier/ière

(= uneven) → irrégulier/ière

(= incorrect)
It's highly irregular, but I'll do it → C'est tout à fait irrégulier, mais je le ferai.
irregular practices (= wrongdoing) → malversations fpl
The minister was accused of irregular business practices → Le ministre fut accusé de malversations commerciales.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

irregular

adj

(= uneven) → unregelmäßig; teeth, shape, coastline → ungleichmäßig; surface → uneben; at irregular intervals → in unregelmäßigen Abständen; to be irregular in one’s attendance → unregelmäßig erscheinen; the windows are deliberately irregular → die Fenster sind bewusst uneinheitlich; to keep irregular hours → ein ungeregeltes Leben führen, keine festen Zeiten haben; he’s been a bit irregular recently (inf) → er hat in letzter Zeit ziemlich unregelmäßigen Stuhlgang

(= not conforming) → unstatthaft; (= contrary to rules) → unvorschriftsmäßig; (= contrary to law) → ungesetzlich; marriage → ungültig; behaviour → ungebührlich, ungehörig; well, it’s a bit irregular, but I’ll … → eigentlich dürfte ich das nicht tun, aber ich …; it’s a most irregular request, but … → das ist ein höchst unübliches Ersuchen, aber …; this is most irregular! → das ist äußerst ungewöhnlich!; because of irregular procedures, the contract was not valid → wegen einiger Formfehler war der Vertrag ungültig; she led a somewhat irregular private life → ihr Privatleben war ziemlich turbulent

(Gram) → unregelmäßig

troops → irregulär

n (Mil) → Irreguläre(r) mf; the irregulars → die irreguläre Truppe

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

irregular

[ɪˈrɛgjʊləʳ] adj → irregolare

irregular

(iˈregjulə) adjective

1. not happening etc regularly. His attendance at classes was irregular.

2. not formed smoothly or evenly. irregular handwriting.

3. contrary to rules.

4. (in grammar) not formed etc in the normal way. irregular verbs.

irˈregularly adverb

irˈreguˈlarity (-ˈla-) noun

(plural irreguˈlarities).

irregular

→ غَيْرُ مُنْتَظَمٌ nepravidelný uregelmæssig unregelmäßig ακανόνιστος irregular epäsäännöllinen irrégulier nepravilan irregolare ふぞろいの 불규칙한 onregelmatig uregelmessig nieregularny irregular непостоянный oregelbunden ไม่สม่ำเสมอ düzensiz bất quy tắc 不规则的

irregular

a. irregular.

irregular

adj irregular

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Now, the irregular appearances of the star are not, strictly speaking, members of the system which is the star, according to our definition of matter.

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Square offspring has sometimes resulted from a slightly Irregular Triangle; but in almost every such case the Irregularity of the first generation is visited on the third; which either fails to attain the Pentagonal rank, or relapses to the Triangular.] Such a birth requires, as its antecedents, not only a series of carefully arranged intermarriages, but also a long, continued exercise of frugality and self-control on the part of the would-be ancestors of the coming Equilateral, and a patient, systematic, and continuous development of the Isosceles intellect through many generations.

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There exists a monition of the Bishop of Durham against irregular churchmen of this class, who associated themselves with Border robbers, and desecrated the holiest offices of the priestly function, by celebrating them for the benefit of thieves, robbers, and murderers, amongst ruins and in caverns of the earth, without regard to canonical form, and with torn and dirty attire, and maimed rites, altogether improper for the occasion.

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"I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin of you.

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"Good Heavens!" exclaimed the District Attorney, throwing down his note-book and pencil; "this is all quite irregular. I can't make use of such an ante-mortem statement as that."

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If a return can be obtained, no matter by what unlawful means, the irregular member, who takes his seat of course, is sure of holding it a sufficient time to answer his purposes.

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But for months afterward, at irregular intervals of a few days, the voice was heard by the several members of the family, and by others.

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Irwine; "it was a little bit of irregular justice on Mrs.

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This was after a year or two of the irregular and interrupted acquaintance with the author which has been my mode of friendship with all the authors I have loved.

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It is the assertion, the development, the product of those very different indispensable qualities of poetry, in the presence [8] of which the English is equal or superior to all other modern literature--the native, sublime, and beautiful, but often wild and irregular, imaginative power in English poetry from Chaucer to Shakespeare, with which Professor Minto deals, in his Characteristics of English Poets (Blackwood), lately reprinted.

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Here (though with other motives, and under other circumstances) was the mother's irregular marriage in Ireland, on the point of being followed by the daughter's irregular marriage in Scotland!

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It was then, as it is to-day, an irregular trapezoid, bordered on one side by the quay, and on the other three by a series of lofty, narrow, and gloomy houses.