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Wander

 - 3 dictionary results

wan⋅der

  [won-der]
Use Wander in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray: to wander over the earth.
2. to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander: The river wanders among the rocks.
3. to extend in an irregular course or direction: Foothills wandered off to the south.
4. to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.
5. (of the mind, thoughts, desires, etc.) to take one direction or another without conscious intent or control: His attention wandered as the speaker droned on.
6. to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.: During the storm the ship wandered from its course.
7. to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray: Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.
8. to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.
–verb (used with object)
9. to travel about, on, or through: He wandered the streets.
–noun
10. Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME wandren, OE wandrian (c. G wandern), freq. of wendan to wend; see -er 6

Related forms:
wan⋅der⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. range, stroll. 2. saunter. 6. swerve, veer. 8. ramble, rave.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Wander
wan·der   (wŏn'dər)   
v.   wan·dered, wan·der·ing, wan·ders

v.   intr.

  1. To move about without a definite destination or purpose.

  2. To go by an indirect route or at no set pace; amble: wander toward town.

  3. To proceed in an irregular course; meander.

  4. To go astray: wander from the path of righteousness.

  5. To lose clarity or coherence of thought or expression.

v.   tr.
To wander across or through: wander the forests and fields.
n.  The act or an instance of wandering; a stroll.

[Middle English wanderen, from Old English wandrian.]
wan'der·er n., wan'der·ing·ly adv.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to move about at random or without destination or purpose. Wander and ramble stress the absence of a fixed course or goal: wandered down the hall lost in thought. "They would go off together, rambling along the river" (John Galsworthy).
Roam and rove emphasize freedom of movement, often over a wide area: "Herds of horses and cattle roamed at will over the plain" (George W. Cable). "For ten long years I roved about, living first in one capital, then another" (Charlotte Brontë).
Range suggests wandering in all directions: "a large hunting party known to be ranging the prairie" (Francis Parkman).
Meander suggests leisurely wandering over an irregular or winding course: "He meandered to and fro . . . observing the manners and customs of Hillport society" (Arnold Bennett).
Stray refers to deviation from a proper course: "I ask pardon, I am straying from the question" (Oliver Goldsmith).
Gallivant refers to wandering in search of pleasure: gallivanted all over the city during our visit.
Gad suggests restlessness: gadded about unaccompanied in foreign places.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

wander 
O.E. wandrian "move about aimlessly, wander," from W.Gmc. *wandrojan (cf. O.Fris. wondria, M.L.G., M.Du. wanderen, Ger. wandern "to wander," a variant form of the root represented in O.H.G. wantalon "to walk, wander"), from base *wend- "to turn" (see wind (v.)). In ref. to the mind, affections, etc., attested from c.1400. The Wandering Jew of Christian legend first mentioned 13c. (cf. Fr. le juif errant, Ger. der ewige Jude).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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