rambling

[ ram-bling ]
/ ˈræm blɪŋ /

adjective

aimlessly wandering.
taking an irregular course; straggling: a rambling brook.
spread out irregularly in various directions: a rambling mansion.
straying from one subject to another; desultory: a rambling novel.

Origin of rambling

First recorded in 1615–25; ramble + -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM rambling

ram·bling·ly, adverb ram·bling·ness, noun un·ram·bling, adjective

Definition for rambling (2 of 2)

ramble
[ ram-buhl ]
/ ˈræm bəl /

verb (used without object), ram·bled, ram·bling.

to wander around in a leisurely, aimless manner: They rambled through the shops until closing time.
to take a course with many turns or windings, as a stream or path.
to grow in a random, unsystematic fashion: The vine rambled over the walls and tree trunks.
to talk or write in a discursive, aimless way (usually followed by on): The speaker rambled on with anecdote after anecdote.

verb (used with object), ram·bled, ram·bling.

to walk aimlessly or idly over or through: They spent the spring afternoon rambling woodland paths.

noun

a walk without a definite route, taken merely for pleasure.

Origin of ramble

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain

Example sentences from the Web for rambling

British Dictionary definitions for rambling (1 of 2)

rambling
/ (ˈræmblɪŋ) /

adjective

straggling or sprawling haphazardly; unplanned a rambling old house
(of speech or writing) lacking a coherent plan; diffuse and disconnected
(of a plant, esp a rose) profusely climbing and straggling
nomadic; wandering

British Dictionary definitions for rambling (2 of 2)

ramble
/ (ˈræmbəl) /

verb (intr)

to stroll about freely, as for relaxation, with no particular direction
(of paths, streams, etc) to follow a winding course; meander
(of plants) to grow in a random fashion
(of speech, writing, etc) to lack organization

noun

a leisurely stroll, esp in the countryside

Word Origin for ramble

C17: probably related to Middle Dutch rammelen to roam (of animals); see ram