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. (often, with-on) 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

Translations

divaguer

vagare

vagar

περιφέρομαι

vagabonder

pasear

περιπλανώμαι

errer

ronddolen

vagabondare

passeggiata

🚶

vaguer

schweifen

peregrinare

dolen

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".