woolgathering

[woo l-gath-er-ing]

See more synonyms for woolgathering on Thesaurus.com

noun

indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming; absentmindedness: His woolgathering was a handicap in school.
gathering of the tufts of wool shed by sheep and caught on bushes.

Origin of woolgathering

First recorded in 1545–55; wool + gathering

woolgather

[woo l-gath-er]

verb (used without object)

to engage in woolgathering.

Origin of woolgather

First recorded in 1840–50; by back formation from woolgathering

Related formswool·gath·er·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for woolgathering

bemused, obsessed, fascinated, distracted, engaged, forgetful, engrossed, absorbed, inattentive, careless, sloppy, fantasy, meditation, contemplation, trance, aloofness, reverie, neutrality, objectivity, indifference

Examples from the Web for woolgathering

Contemporary Examples of woolgathering

His interest in music—or rather, at first, in the free and glamorous lives of musicians—began with much posing and woolgathering.
What Made Charlie Parker Great? Reviewing Stanley Crouch’s Biography on Bird
Stuart Klawans
September 23, 2013

Historical Examples of woolgathering

Really, God thought with annoyance, this woolgathering—at such a moment!
The Worshippers
Damon Francis Knight
Woolgathering, Ben had missed some remark about Artemis' rigging.
Wilderness of Spring
Edgar Pangborn
Such strange alleys do my thoughts run along when I am woolgathering in the field.
Tell England
Ernest Raymond
In a woolgathering way, the animal acknowledged Reuben's feet, but had no time for them.
Wilderness of Spring
Edgar Pangborn
Mrs. Ferrall's wits returned nimbly from woolgathering, and she shot a startled, inquiring glance at the girl beside her.
The Fighting Chance
Robert W. Chambers

British Dictionary definitions for woolgathering

woolgathering

noun

idle or absent-minded indulgence in fantasy; daydreaming

Derived Formswoolgatherer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for woolgathering

1550s, "indulging in wandering fancies and purposeless thinking," from the literal meaning "gathering fragments of wool torn from sheep by bushes, etc." (see wool + gather).