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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
wander
verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
sb’s attention wanders (=sb stops listening, watching etc carefully)
▪ During the service, her mind began to wander.
wander/browse around the shops
▪ I spent a happy afternoon wandering around the shops.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
aimlessly
▪ He wandered aimlessly on from one squalid street to another.
▪ By wandering aimlessly, all places became equal, and it no longer mattered where he was.
▪ She wandered aimlessly along until a red and silver taxi cruised past.
▪ One night, he stumbled out of his house in the Los Gatos hills, wandering aimlessly.
▪ Charles wandered aimlessly through Leicester Square to Piccadilly.
▪ A few years ago my friend Tim Hult and I spent one steamy-hot and jet-lagged afternoon wandering aimlessly around Bangkok.
▪ He'd done no more than accidentally bump against some sailors aimlessly wandering from the passage next to the warehouse.
▪ The ride back to the city seemed interminable, and he found himself wandering aimlessly.
through
▪ Jessamy picked them up, wandered through to the kitchen and put them on the table.
▪ She leaves the coach and wanders through fields for many miles until between trees she sees a deep black pool of water.
▪ Finally he wandered through into the kitchen, pulled off his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair.
▪ His mind used to wander through that garden as if exploring a new world born from a collision of stars.
▪ Eric wandered through, he of the seagull, with a book.
▪ He wandered through the station, then, as if inside the body of Paul Auster, waiting for Stillman to appear.
▪ A unique collection for research, and a place people can wander through for peace and tranquility.
▪ I began to wander through the room from object to object.
■ NOUN
attention
▪ But then, it seems, their attention wandered.
▪ The staff would provide him with toys to amuse himself with when his attention began to wander.
▪ So much discussion of disruption loses its way with attention wandering from one priority to another.
▪ Wickham had heard all this before and his attention wandered.
▪ During the sermon Sarah's attention wandered.
▪ He leaned back and allowed his attention to wander.
▪ Her attention didn't wander one bit.
child
▪ Other children were left to wander home in the dark.
▪ BWithout alarm clocks or anyone to wake them up, the children often wander into class late.
▪ Ducks, sheep, donkeys and children wander along the alleyways.
▪ Her parents would have been children when he wandered past their door.
city
▪ I wandered ail over the city, getting lost then finding myself again where I had started.
▪ For two days I wandered through the city.
▪ Guks spent the afternoon wandering about the city, looking at the bombed buildings, avoiding groups of soldiers.
corridor
▪ He missed wandering about the corridors but the thought of walking made his feet throb and ache even more.
▪ At six, I wandered out into the corridor.
▪ He wandered along the brighter corridors near Nettles looking for a good place to plant his seeds.
▪ He shakes his head again in horror and wanders back along the corridor in silence.
▪ It seemed Blunset was still wandering through the corridors and Endill looked forward to their next meeting.
▪ So I wandered round the corridors of Hampton Court.
▪ The Doctor had wandered along a shadowy corridor.
▪ Could I really be replaced so easily, I wondered as I left the toilets and wandered out into the corridor.
desert
▪ For six years you wander the desert from level to pale level.
garden
▪ The next day they wandered out of the kitchen garden.
▪ His mind used to wander through that garden as if exploring a new world born from a collision of stars.
▪ Henry lets me wander in her garden.
▪ The twins had wandered out of the rectory garden and had been missing for twenty minutes.
▪ They wandered parks and gardens and fed already overfed white pigeons in the Plaza de América.
gaze
▪ It ceased abruptly and her gaze left his to wander down his body, stopping only to rest upon his nakedness.
▪ Yet when he spoke of himself, his gaze frequently wandered, as though in search of visual ballast.
▪ Tallis watched them, then let her gaze wander along the stark crags and jutting masonry walls.
▪ Her gaze wandered back to Marcus's.
▪ His gaze wandered around her little studio flat.
▪ His gaze wandered over the flags, tapestries and shields adorning the walls.
house
▪ We'd wander round the house as we rambled conversationally.
▪ Otis was wandering around the house with a miniature billiard ball in his mouth.
▪ George let his mind wander over the House.
▪ I wonder whether any of the clapboard houses I wander past is the house where it happened, where All killed herself.
▪ You wander about the house like a soul in torment.
▪ He was talking to one of his girlfriends, wandering the house, phone to his ear.
▪ The two-year-old wandered out the house at dawn dressed in mum Michelle's high heels and nightie.
▪ Paul wandered around the house a lot these days.
kitchen
▪ The next day they wandered out of the kitchen garden.
▪ She wandered into the kitchen, pleased with her work, relieved too that Luke didn't seem to be about.
▪ He wandered out into the kitchen and took a pint of milk from the fridge, supping straight from the bottle.
▪ Jessamy picked them up, wandered through to the kitchen and put them on the table.
▪ He wandered into the kitchen, where he found a freshly-brewed pot of tea.
▪ She studied the envelopes as she wandered into the kitchen to make breakfast.
▪ Finally he wandered through into the kitchen, pulled off his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair.
▪ I wandered into the kitchen and made some coffee.
mind
▪ George let his mind wander over the House.
▪ His mind used to wander through that garden as if exploring a new world born from a collision of stars.
▪ His mind and spirit wandered far from the crowd of contemporary detail.
▪ I pause, my mind wandering, when out of the haze of heat and depression I notice the name Liliane.
▪ Jean tried to concentrate as he went on with his list of symptoms, but her mind kept wandering elsewhere.
▪ He began to read the story, but his mind wandered.
▪ Thus occupied on this repetitive job, the mind is free to wander and daydream.
▪ Each time the mind wanders it is gently brought back to the repetition.
path
▪ Soon she grew bored with watching and wandered away down the path towards the road.
▪ Yolanda and Jose, partners, wander far from the path that cuts through the grove.
▪ Jane had only found the place by wandering from the path and getting lost.
▪ He wandered down the wrong path.
▪ We wander down the paths the students have created and lined with wood chips.
road
▪ George Borrow was to wander many roads before being invited back to his father's home county.
▪ All of us seemed to wander down the road, but we wandered purposefully.
▪ You wander hopelessly along the road, then, frightened, back into the village.
▪ They remind you of a bunch of schoolboys wandering down a lonely road, kicking a ball along.
▪ Before she knew where she was going, she'd wandered to the road.
▪ A distraction may cause it to wander off into the road, with fatal consequences.
room
▪ The house seemed to put comforting arms around her, as she wandered from room to room.
▪ Christine wanders back into the room.
▪ Supposedly, he wandered into a darkened room and banged his head on a cupboard.
▪ But give them a math problem, and they wander around the room, daydream, or fidget.
▪ Some of the crime is committed by opportunists who wander into students rooms and take cash and credit cards.
▪ I wandered to the back room.
▪ He pushed his chair back and wandered around the room.
▪ Sun-bleached surfers rub elbows at the bar, and stray toddlers wander through the dining rooms.
street
▪ However much she may enjoy such pursuits, there will be times when she would actually rather wander the streets unaccompanied.
▪ They seldom wander past the streets and neighborhoods they know.
▪ Male speaker I fear for Birmingham with this madman let loose, wandering around the streets frightening the children.
▪ Charles wandered the streets in a daze.
▪ Children as young as 2 or 3 wander the streets alone.
▪ In the meantime, he wandered the streets, wheeling an oxygen tank he needed to treat his emphysema, Ewing said.
▪ I'd wander down the high street, frittering away on whatever took my fancy.
▪ Chickens and roosters wander the streets like they own the place.
thought
▪ Susan let her shaping thoughts wander around the Temple.
▪ His thoughts seemed to wander out of control ... They were watching him.
▪ In normal circumstances, Melissa would have found him stimulating company but that evening she found her thoughts constantly wandering.
▪ At this point, as often happened, his thoughts wandered off into irrelevant philosophical channels.
▪ At the thought two miserable tears wandered down her face.
town
▪ In the evening, some of Major and Mrs Parker's guests wandered off into town.
▪ Only poor artisans, likewise, carried all their gear on their backs and wandered through towns and countryside looking for work.
▪ Having found a comfortable Gasthof in the suburb of Spitalhof, I passed a few hours wandering the old town.
▪ Every time you looked up, there seemed to be some former Soviet republic wandering into town for a match.
▪ After they left the café they wandered round the town for a while longer, but Claudia began to feel very weary.
village
▪ He wandered out of the village and up the mountain, weeping and wondering what he could possibly do.
▪ I wandered through a poverty-stricken village in the countryside, flies swarming over me under a baking sun.
▪ Nearby, at Buckler's Hard, we wandered in the village where Lord Nelson's wooden warships were built.
▪ Charles wandered slowly up the village street in search of his valise.
wilderness
▪ The prince wandered the wilderness for many years.
wood
▪ That, his day's toil having been deferred, he wanders through unfamiliar woods with unsure footsteps.
▪ For ten years they wandered in those woods searching for a lost treasure.
■ VERB
allow
▪ He needn't think he was going to be allowed to wander.
▪ Just imagine, if you can, if the flesh of this country were allowed to wander around promiscuously!
▪ There was no way he could allow Boris to wander round unguarded with plates of zakuski.
▪ The chairman must not allow the discussion to wander into other subjects unless there is a direct relevance.
▪ When she had finished, she allowed her eyes to wander round the area of the altar.
▪ The Lady Amelia would never allow you to go wandering off by yourself.
▪ As you explore your hand, allow your mind to wander over the significance of all its markings.
▪ Physical safety might include not being allowed to wander into dangerous surroundings, or to bathe in scalding hot water.
find
▪ I found myself wandering round with a wry smile on my face and occasionally bursting into laughter at my own presumption.
▪ A man found her wandering around and took her to the park ranger, who called the police.
▪ She found herself wandering, thinking about Pet.
▪ The ride back to the city seemed interminable, and he found himself wandering aimlessly.
▪ Usually, I find myself wandering half-heartedly around the rails hoping some fabulous garment will leap out and grab me.
▪ The king, trying to find the falcon, wandered in the castle.
▪ She was found wandering at a golf course, near Stockport, Cheshire, on Monday.
keep
▪ People like Billy Crystal and Spike Lee kept wandering in.
▪ I felt there must be something wrong with me, and I kept wandering.
▪ He keeps wandering into minor subplots, about a flamenco dancer and a dancing doctors demonstration.
let
▪ Henry lets me wander in her garden.
▪ It is a ship to let your eyes wander over, from the lovely carpets to the decorative ceilings.
▪ It was definitely not a night to let a friend wander around in a drunken stupor searching for his car.
▪ Susan let her shaping thoughts wander around the Temple.
▪ George let his mind wander over the House.
▪ Male speaker I fear for Birmingham with this madman let loose, wandering around the streets frightening the children.
▪ Tallis watched them, then let her gaze wander along the stark crags and jutting masonry walls.
▪ Handlers guided it down the ramp with ropes and then let it wander away rather unsteadily.
spend
▪ Eve had spent the day wandering around Dublin with a heavy heart.
▪ I told him about the couple of hours I had spent wandering around Copacabana Beach.
▪ Guks spent the afternoon wandering about the city, looking at the bombed buildings, avoiding groups of soldiers.
▪ He spent his days wandering around the rugby pitches doing nothing and refused to return to his cottage.
▪ Explorer-anthropologist Martin Gray has spent 12 years wandering through 800 sacred sites scattered around the globe.
▪ The afternoon was spent in Winchester wandering around the shops and going to the cathedral.
▪ He spends his nights wandering around the streets of Gloucester offering them blankets and hot soup.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
sb's mind wanders
▪ I'm sorry, my mind was wandering. What did you say?
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ After dinner Carol left the hotel to wander the crowded streets.
▪ For an hour and a half we wandered around the old city, totally lost.
▪ She may have wandered off and become lost.
▪ We wandered along the river bank, looking for a place to cross.
▪ With their parents at work, the kids are left to wander the streets.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ But the gates were open, and she wandered in, seeking shade.
▪ He wandered an area of refrigerated warehouses with old dual-gauge tracks intersecting on the cobbled streets.
▪ I'd wander down the high street, frittering away on whatever took my fancy.
▪ She wandered into the kitchen, pleased with her work, relieved too that Luke didn't seem to be about.
▪ She leaves the coach and wanders through fields for many miles until between trees she sees a deep black pool of water.
▪ Then she wanders the deserted basement halls.
▪ We wandered on, leaving the mules to catch up.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Wander

Wander \Wan"der\, v. t. To travel over without a certain course; to traverse; to stroll through. [R.] ``[Elijah] wandered this barren waste.''
--Milton.

Wander

Wander \Wan"der\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Wandered; p. pr. & vb. n. Wandering.] [OE. wandren, wandrien, AS. wandrian; akin to G. wandern to wander; fr. AS. windan to turn. See Wind to turn.]

  1. To ramble here and there without any certain course or with no definite object in view; to range about; to stroll; to rove; as, to wander over the fields.

    They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins.
    --Heb. xi. 37.

    He wandereth abroad for bread.
    --Job xv. 23.

  2. To go away; to depart; to stray off; to deviate; to go astray; as, a writer wanders from his subject.

    When God caused me to wander from my father's house.
    --Gen. xx. 1

  3. O, let me not wander from thy commandments.
    --Ps. cxix. 10.

    3. To be delirious; not to be under the guidance of reason; to rave; as, the mind wanders.

    Syn: To roam; rove; range; stroll; gad; stray; straggly; err; swerve; deviate; depart.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
wander

Old English wandrian "move about aimlessly, wander," from West Germanic *wandran "to roam about" (cognates: Old Frisian wondria, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wanderen, German wandern "to wander," a variant form of the root represented in Old High German wantalon "to walk, wander"), from PIE root *wendh- "to turn, wind, weave" (see wind (v.1)). In reference to the mind, affections, etc., attested from c.1400. Related: Wandered; wandering. The Wandering Jew of Christian legend first mentioned 13c. (compare French le juif errant, German der ewige Jude).

Wiktionary
wander

n. The act or instance of wandering. vb. 1 (lb en intransitive) To move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood. 2 (lb en intransitive) To stray; stray from one's course; err. 3 (lb en intransitive) To commit adultery. 4 (lb en intransitive) To go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path. 5 (lb en intransitive) Of the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention.

WordNet
wander
  1. v. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift from one town to the next"; "They rolled from town to town" [syn: roll, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, drift, vagabond]

  2. be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage; "She cheats on her husband"; "Might her husband be wandering?" [syn: cheat on, cheat, cuckold, betray]

  3. go via an indirect route or at no set pace; "After dinner, we wandered into town"

  4. to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course; "the river winds through the hills"; "the path meanders through the vineyards"; "sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body" [syn: weave, wind, thread, meander]

  5. lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking; "She always digresses when telling a story"; "her mind wanders"; "Don't digress when you give a lecture" [syn: digress, stray, divagate]

Wikipedia
Wander (video game)

Wander is a narrative-focused massively multiplayer online game developed by Loki Davison and an independent team in Australia.

Set in a peaceful fantasy setting populated by shapeshifters, Wander encourages players to reveal more of the story by cooperatively exploring new areas of the game world.

Upon release, Wander was criticized for being buggy and incomplete. It got a 4/10 from Push Square.

Usage examples of "wander".

So that meseems thou mayest abide here in a life far better than wandering amongst uncouth folk, perilous and cruel.

A period of wandering as a nomad, often as undertaken by Aborigines who feel the need to leave the place where they are in contact with white society, and return for spiritul replenishment to their traditional way of life.

There I drank it, my feet resting on acanthus, my eyes wandering from sea to mountain, or peering at little shells niched in the crumbling surface of the sacred stone.

Arums and acanthus and ivy filled every hollow, roses nodded from over every gate, while a carpet of violets and cyclamen and primroses stretched over the fields and freighted every wandering wind with fragrance.

Lizzie who sat patiently on a stile, holding the bunch of green-veined snow-drops and yellow aconites she had gathered as they wandered.

My mind wanders through adagios and andantes, gaping, longing to understand.

With Delilah and her father sharing the kitchen and Darla waiting tables, Addle had found herself wandering around useless.

Months he had wandered about the gates of the Bonnet, wondering, sighing, knocking at them, and getting neither admittance nor answer.

And therefore I wander these solitary and desolate places in search of adventures, determined to bring my arm and my person to the most dangerous that fortune may offer, in defense of the weak and helpless.

How is it possible that any human mind could be persuaded that there has existed in the world that infinity of Amadises, and that throng of so many famous knights, so many emperors of Trebizond, so many Felixmartes of Hyrcania, so many palfreys and wandering damsels, so many serpents and dragons and giants, so many unparalleled adventures and different kinds of enchantments, so many battles and fierce encounters, so much splendid attire, so many enamored princesses and squires who are counts and dwarves who are charming, so many love letters, so much wooing, so many valiant women, and, finally, so many nonsensical matters as are contained in books of chivalry?

Bees wandered among the heliotrope and verbena and pots of sapphire agapanthus, and even that shady place felt the hot breath of the summer noon.

Silverbugs still wandered about aimlessly, clogging the floor, making it difficult to move fast over the already-unsure footing.

Snow drifting down on us, the lights of the tree merry and bright, three men shot to pieces, a bear down, and one heathen whose mind had gone for a long walk, wandering aimlessly in the darkness which had engulfed us all.

This must have been one of his bored days, spent wandering aimlessly through the house with an occasional pause to glance over some possession of his before he grew tired of it and began wandering again.

He would wander upstairs, Alan knew, to his pitch-black, book-strewn bedroom, where he would lie on his elegant four-poster until the fragment of another chapter came to him.