drawing lots
Chance-based group decision
Drawing lots is a method of making a decision or selection by chance—pulling straws, picking numbered slips from a hat, or similar random procedures.
The practice dates to ancient times for dividing property, assigning duties, or settling disputes when no other basis for choosing exists: They drew lots to see who would go first.
- decisionSettled course of action
- raffleLottery for prizes
- Urim and ThummimBiblical divination instruments
- selectionChosen item or items
- allocationDistribution of shares
spin the bottle · divination · probability · apportionment · coin toss · augury · chance · randomization · blind pick · dice roll · chance events · gambling · determination · shuffle · urn · tiebreaker · short straw · fair chance
- random eventsdice rolls, dice, coin flips, coin toss, gambling
- selectionchoosing, picking, selection committee, shortlist, shortlisting
- allocation methodsquota, rationing, first come first served, merit-based, need-based
- randomizersdice, die, coin flip, spinner, roulette wheel
- randomizationrandom, randomize, randomizer, RNG, random number generator
drawing lotsmerit-based selection
Choosing by demonstrated ability
meritocracy · deliberate choice · testing · interviewing · audition
drawing lotsfavoritism
Preferential treatment of some
nepotism · preferential treatment · discrimination · cronyism · bias
drawing lotsinformed decision
Choice made with facts
deliberation · deliberate choice · weighing options · handpicking · curated selection
drawing, lots, draw, draws, drawn, drew, lottery, lotteries, allot