wandering

wan·der  (wndr)

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.

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[Middle English wanderen, from Old English wandrian.]

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wander·er n.

wander·ing·ly adv.

Synonyms: wander, ramble, roam, rove¹, range, meander, stray, gallivant, gad¹
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.

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Wandering of tinkers—Lipton.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	wandering - travelling about without any clear destination; "she followed him in his wanderings and looked after him" roving, vagabondage travel, traveling, travelling - the act of going from one place to another; "he enjoyed selling but he hated the travel" drifting - aimless wandering from place to place
Adj.	1.	wandering - migratory; "a restless mobile society"; "the nomadic habits of the Bedouins"; "believed the profession of a peregrine typist would have a happy future"; "wandering tribes" mobile, nomadic, peregrine, roving unsettled - not settled or established; "an unsettled lifestyle"
	2.	wandering - of a path e.g.; "meandering streams"; "rambling forest paths"; "the river followed its wandering course"; "a winding country road" meandering, winding, rambling indirect - not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination; "sometimes taking an indirect path saves time"; "you must take an indirect course in sailing"
	3.	wandering - having no fixed course; "an erratic comet"; "his life followed a wandering course"; "a planetary vagabond" erratic, planetary unsettled - not settled or established; "an unsettled lifestyle"

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wandering

adjective itinerant, travelling, journeying, roving, drifting, homeless, strolling, voyaging, unsettled, roaming, rambling, nomadic, migratory, vagrant, peripatetic, vagabond, rootless, wayfaring

Translations

wandering [ˈwɔndərɪŋ] adj [tribe] → nómada; [minstrel, actor] → ambulante; [path, river] → sinuoso; [glance, mind] → distraído

wandering [ˈwɔndrɪŋ] adj [tribe] → nomade; [minstrel, actor] → ambulant(e)

wandering [ˈwɔndrɪŋ] wander adj [tribe] → umherziehend; [minstrel, actor] → fahrend

wandering [ˈwɔndrɪŋ] adj [tribe] → nomade; [minstrel, actor] → girovago/a; [path, river] → tortuoso/a; [glance, mind] → distratto/a