ramble
verbEtymology
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".
To move about aimlessly, or on a winding course.
- Weak from drifting on the longest mosey ever rambled. Weeks with no meal or beverage. Blistering desert pounding me to the crosine-tipped ^([sic]) brink of insanity. Yet perhaps there is truth in sand madness.2007 December 9, Xavier Renegade Angel, season 1, episode 6, spoken by Xavier (Vernon Chatman):
To walk for pleasure; to amble or saunter.
To lead the life of a vagabond or itinerant; to move about with no fixed place of address.
- 1994, Richard Thompson, “Beeswing” We was drinking more in those days and tempers reached a pitch And like a fool I let her run with the rambling itch
Often, With on To talk or write incessantly, unclearly, or incoherently, with many digressions.
- Francine has a tendency to ramble when it gets to be late in the evening.
- She often rambles about bees' behavior, both in the hive and in the field.
2 more examples
- Usually I don't mind listening to her ramble on a bit; it can be soothing.
- Last night she was rambling on about horticultural methods, which was so soothing that I nodded off.
To follow a winding path or course.
- The river rambled through the mountains.
- Derived terms
- rambler, ramblesome, rambly