ramble

Meaning

Noun

1. A leisurely stroll; a recreational walk in the countryside.
2. A rambling; an instance of someone talking at length without direction.
3. A bed of shale over the seam of coal.
4. A section of woodland suitable for leisurely walking.

Verb

1. To move about aimlessly, or on a winding course.
2. To walk for pleasure; to amble or saunter.
3. To lead the life of a vagabond or itinerant; to move about with no fixed place of address.
4. To talk or write incessantly, unclearly, or incoherently, with many digressions.
5. To follow a winding path or course.

Synonyms

wander

stroll

roam

rove

saunter

walk

🚶

promenade

drift

wandering

tramp

range

travel

swan

🦢

loiter

vagabond

jaunt

gallivant

stray

mosey

expatiate

babble

cast

delirium

drivel

gad

hang about

hoopla

jog

meander

perambulation

rave

raving

roll

tour

trip

ramble on

ramp

lounge

walk in a preoccupied air

wander in one’s talk

laze

roaming

move or go about

knock about

hike

straggle

hang around

go

strut

gander

woffle

traipse

flow

airing

traverse

trek

talk nonsel

troll

🧌

turn

excursion

vagrancy

cruise

walk about

creep

climb

wonder

kick about

kick around

move to and fro

play about

bummel

wander through

wander about

wander around

walking

🚶

speak nonsense

be busy running

serape lightly

speak incoherently

patrol

perambulate

walk all around

peregrination

potter

outing

prowl

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹæmbəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: *ramlen

Cognate with Swedish: ramla

Cognate with Danish: ramle

In summary

An altered form (with dissimilation of mm to mb) of dialectal rammle, from Middle English *ramlen, *ramelen, frequentative of Middle English ramen (“to roam, ramble”); compare Swedish ramla (“to stumble; fall; make a noise; rumble”), Danish ramle (“to stumble; collapse; thunder; boom”); equivalent to roam + -le.
"mid-15 c., perhaps frequentative of 'romen' 'to walk, go' perhaps via 'romblen' (late 14 c.) 'to ramble.' The vowel change perhaps by influence of Middle Dutch 'rammelen,' a derivative of 'rammen' 'copulate,' 'used of the night wanderings of the amorous cat.' Meaning 'to talk or write incoherently' is from 1630s".