wander
 wan·der (wŏnʹdər)v. wan·dered, wan·der·ing, wan·dersv. intr.
1. To move about without a definite destination or purpose.
2. To go by an indirect route or at no set pace; amble:
wander toward town.
3. To proceed in an irregular course; meander.
4. To go astray:
wander from the path of righteousness.
5. To lose clarity or coherence of thought or expression.v. tr.
To wander across or through:
wander the forests and fields.n.
The act or an instance of wandering; a stroll. [Middle English wanderen, from Old English wandrian.] wanʹder·er n.wanʹder·ing·ly adv.
Synonyms: wander, ramble, roam, rove1, range, meander, stray, gallivant, gad
1 These verbs mean to move about at random or without destination or purpose. Wander and ramble stress the absence of a fixed course or goal: wandered down the hall lost in thought. “They would go off together, rambling along the river” (John Galsworthy). Roam and rove emphasize freedom of movement, often over a wide area: “Herds of horses and cattle roamed at will over the plain” (George W. Cable). “For ten long years I roved about, living first in one capital, then another” (Charlotte Brontë). Range suggests wandering in all directions: “a large hunting party known to be ranging the prairie” (Francis Parkman). Meander suggests leisurely wandering over an irregular or winding course: “He meandered to and fro... observing the manners and customs of Hillport society” (Arnold Bennett). Stray refers to deviation from a proper course: “I ask pardon, I am straying from the question” (Oliver Goldsmith). Gallivant refers to wandering in search of pleasure: gallivanted all over the city during our visit. Gad suggests restlessness: gadded about unaccompanied in foreign places.
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