откуда ни попало

• ОТКУДА ПОПАЛО coll; ОТКУДА НИ ПОПАЛО obs, substand; ОТКУДА ПРИДЕТСЯ{{}}

[AdvP; these forms only; adv; fixed WO]

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⇒ from any place, not one specifically or carefully chosen (when said critically, expresses the speaker's opinion that not selecting carefully is negligent, unacceptable etc):

- from wherever (one can get it <one wants etc>);

- from anywhere (anyplace) (one wants <one can get it etc>);

- from anywhere (anyplace) at all;

- it doesn't matter where from (from where);

- from any old place;

- [usu. when said critically] from just anywhere;

- from God knows where.

     ♦ "...Я, видишь ли, любитель и собиратель некоторых фактиков и, веришь ли, записываю и собираю из газет и рассказов, откуда попало, некоторого рода анекдотики..." (Достоевский 1). "... You see, I'm an amateur and collector of certain little facts; I copy them down from newspapers and stories, from wherever, and save them-would you believe it?-certain kinds of little anecdotes" (1a).