/ ˈwɒndə(r); NAmE ˈwɑːn-/ verb , noun
■ verb
1.
to walk slowly around or to a place, often without any particular sense of purpose or direction :
[ v + adv. / prep. ]
She wandered aimlessly around the streets.
We wandered back towards the car.
[ vn ]
The child was found wandering the streets alone.
2.
[ v ] wander (away / off) | wander (from / off sth) to move away from the place where you ought to be or the people you are with
SYN stray :
The child wandered off and got lost.
They had wandered from the path into the woods.
3.
[ v ] wander (away, back, to, etc. sth) ( of a person's mind or thoughts ) to stop being directed on sth and to move without much control to other ideas, subjects, etc.
SYN drift :
It's easy to be distracted and let your attention wander .
Try not to let your mind wander .
Her thoughts wandered back to her youth.
4.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] ( of a person's eyes ) to move slowly from looking at one thing to looking at another thing or in other directions :
His eyes wandered towards the photographs on the wall.
She let her gaze wander .
5.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] ( of a road or river ) to curve instead of following a straight course :
The road wanders along through the hills.
■ noun
[ sing. ] a short walk in or around a place, usually with no special purpose :
I went to the park and had a wander around.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English wandrian , of West Germanic origin; related to wend and wind (II).