wander
[won-der]
- to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray: to wander over the earth.
- to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander: The river wanders among the rocks.
- to extend in an irregular course or direction: Foothills wandered off to the south.
- to move, pass, or turn idly, as the hand or the eyes.
- (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.
- to stray from a path, place, companions, etc.: During the storm the ship wandered from its course.
- to deviate in conduct, belief, etc.; err; go astray: Let me not wander from Thy Commandments.
- to think or speak confusedly or incoherently.
- (of a person with a mental disorder or cognitive impairment) to move about or walk in a seemingly aimless or random manner.
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- to travel about, on, or through: He wandered the streets.
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- Mechanics. the drift of a gyroscope or a similar device.
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Origin of wander
Synonyms
See more synonyms for wander on Thesaurus.com1. range, stroll. 2. saunter. 6. swerve, veer. 8. ramble, rave.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for wander
Contemporary Examples
Finally, I have to wander slightly off brief with my last two recommendations.
One can even rent out the villa here or wander down from the Arc de Triomphe and peek through the fence.
Of all the war-torn eras in the all the history of the world, why, Frank Miller and Zack Snyder, did you have to wander into mine?
Guests snatch up the eccentric-looking drinks that line the bar as they wander around before the performance.
In Jordan, in Kuwait, in Turkey, not even a dog could wander into Iraq, but from Der ez-Sour we went where we wanted.
Historical Examples
Why else should they wander together in the woods, or be so lost in talk by rustic streams?
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
They can wander on the banks of the Kladeos and the Alpheios.
Buried Cities, Part 2Jennie Hall
She had to wander around and around, and get food and drink wherever she could find them.
Classic MythsMary Catherine Judd
You wander whither you will, meeting few, and disturbed by none.
How far is the district over which these strange Dhahs are said to wander?
wander
- (also tr) to move or travel about, in, or through (a place) without any definite purpose or destination
- to proceed in an irregular course; meander
- to go astray, as from a path or course
- (of the mind, thoughts, etc) to lose concentration or direction
- to think or speak incoherently or illogically
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- the act or an instance of wandering
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Word Origin
Old English wandrian; related to Old Frisian wandria, Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanderen
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for wander
v.
Old English wandrian "move about aimlessly, wander," from West Germanic *wandrojan (cf. Old Frisian wondria, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wanderen, German wandern "to wander," a variant form of the root represented in Old High German wantalon "to walk, wander"), from root *wend- "to turn" (see wind (v.)). In reference to the mind, affections, etc., attested from c.1400. Related: Wandered; wandering. The Wandering Jew of Christian legend first mentioned 13c. (cf. French le juif errant, German der ewige Jude).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper