Nearby Words

ramble

[ram-buhl] Example Sentences Origin

ram·ble

[ram-buhl] verb, -bled, -bling, noun
verb (used without object)
1.
to wander around in a leisurely, aimless manner: They rambled through the shops until closing time.
2.
to take a course with many turns or windings, as a stream or path.
3.
to grow in a random, unsystematic fashion: The vine rambled over the walls and tree trunks.
4.
to talk or write in a discursive, aimless way (usually followed by on): The speaker rambled on with anecdote after anecdote.
verb (used with object)
5.
to walk aimlessly or idly over or through: They spent the spring afternoon rambling woodland paths.

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Ramble is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
to flee; abscond:
noun
6.
a walk without a definite route, taken merely for pleasure.

Origin:
1610–20; origin uncertain


1. stroll, saunter, amble, stray, straggle. See roam.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Example Sentences
  • If you don't enforce the time limit, they won't practice for it, and they'll ramble on forever.
  • It's clear you don't know a fat lot about this country, so it's why you prefer to ramble on and on.
  • In other words: the perfect setting for an off-asphalt ramble.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
ramble (ˈræmbəl)
 
vb
1.  to stroll about freely, as for relaxation, with no particular direction
2.  (of paths, streams, etc) to follow a winding course; meander
3.  (of plants) to grow in a random fashion
4.  (of speech, writing, etc) to lack organization
 
n
5.  a leisurely stroll, esp in the countryside
 
[C17: probably related to Middle Dutch rammelen to roam (of animals); see ram]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

ramble
mid-15c., perhaps frequentative of romen "to walk, go" (see roam), perhaps via romblen (late 14c.) "to ramble." The vowel change probably by infl. of M.Du. rammelen, a derivative of rammen "copulate," "used of the night wanderings of the amorous cat" [Weekley]. Meaning "to
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talk or write incoherently" is from 1630s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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