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REFERENCE

wander

v. · n.
US //ˈwɑndɝ// UK //wˈɒndɐ// wan·der
  1. 1 to walk aimlessly (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to walk around slowly without a specific reason or destination.

    to move about without a fixed course or goal. Intransitive, though occasionally used with a direct object in literary contexts.

    Example

    We spent the afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the old town.

    Example

    After the meeting adjourned, he spent an hour wandering aimlessly through the botanical gardens to clear his head before the long drive home.

    Usage

    Often followed by prepositions like 'around', 'through', or 'off'.
    Pitfall
    I was wondering around the park.
    I was wandering around the park.

    Do not confuse 'wander' (to walk) with 'wonder' (to think or ask yourself).

  2. 2 to lose focus (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    when your thoughts or attention move away from what you are doing.

    to lose concentration or deviate from a specific subject or task. Used of the mind, thoughts, or eyes.

    Example

    I tried to listen to the lecture, but my mind began to wander.

    Example

    The professor noticed the students' attention begin to wander as the technical explanation stretched into its second hour without a break.
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  1. 3 to follow a winding path (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to move in a curve or a path that is not straight.

    to follow a winding or indirect course rather than a straight line.

    Example

    The small river wanders through the valley before reaching the sea.

    Example

    The hiking trail wanders gently along the ridge, offering panoramic views of the valley floor below.
  2. 4 to be unfaithful (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your husband, wife, or partner.

    to be sexually unfaithful to a spouse or partner. Often used in the phrase 'a wandering eye'.

    Example

    He promised his wife that he would never wander again.

    Example

    The novel explores the consequences of a husband who begins to wander after ten years of a seemingly stable marriage.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is often used euphemistically; 'stray' is a common modern synonym for this specific context.
  3. 5 a short walk (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    a short walk that you take without a specific goal.

    an act or instance of walking aimlessly. Usually used with 'go for a' or 'have a'.

    Example

    I'm going for a quick wander around the shops while I wait for you.

    Example

    After dinner, they took a leisurely wander along the promenade to enjoy the cool evening air.
Origin

From Middle English wandren, from Old English wandrian (“to wander, roam, fly around, hover; change; stray, err”), from Proto-West Germanic wandarōn (“to wander”), from wandōn (“to turn, change”) + *-rōn (frequentative suffix). Cognate with Scots wander (“to wander”), German wandern (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Dutch wandelen (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Danish vandre (“to wander, roam, hike, migrate”), Swedish vandra (“to wander, hike”).

Word family

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