П-352

КТО ПОПАЛО coll КТО НИ ПОПАЛО obs, substand КТО ПРИДЁТСЯ NP fixed WO

any person, not one specifically or carefully chosen (when said critically, expresses the speaker's opinion that not selecting carefully is negligent, unacceptable etc): whoever (happens to be available (happens to be there etc))

who(m)ever ( s.o. sees first ( s.o. can find etc)) anyone (anybody) ( s.o. can find (who happens to be there etc)) it doesn't matter (who) (in limited contexts) anyone and everyone (ask (punish etc) people) at random ( usu. when said critically) just anyone (anybody) God knows who.

«Как же так? - спросила Вика. - Ты пришла с нами, а танцуешь с кем попало» (Рыбаков 2). MWhat are you doing?" Vika asked. "You came here with us, but you're dancing with anyone who asks you" (2a).

«...Народ какой-то пошел слабонервный. И чего они нас (КГБ) боятся? Мы же кого попало не хватаем, а только по ордеру» (Войнович 2). "People's nerves are starting to go. Why are they so afraid of us (the KGB)? We just don't grab anybody we bump into, there's got to be a warrant" (2a).

... Мне это отделение известно! Там кому попало выдают паспорта!» (Булгаков 9). "I know this department-they issue passports to anyone and everyone" (9a).

Террор в том и заключается, что берут кого попало для острастки оставленных на воле (Мандельштам 2). The whole point of terror is that people are arrested at random in order to instill fear into everybody else (2a).