Ramble

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æmbÉ™l

Origin

An altered form (with dissimilation of mm to mb) of dial. rammle, from Middle English *ramelen, frequentive of ramen ("to roam, ramble"); see roam.

"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 1630's" (etymonline.com).

Full definition of ramble

Noun

1. A leisurely stroll; a recreational walk in the countryside.
• 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, chapter 16Marianne was prevailed upon to join her sisters in their usual walk, instead of wandering away by herself. Hitherto she had carefully avoided every companion in her rambles. If her sisters intended to walk on the downs, she directly stole away towards the lanes
• 1835, s:Author:William Gilmore Simms, s:The Partisan, The place was a favourite with all, and the ramble in this quarter was quite a regular custom of the afternoon with the fair heiress of Colonel Walton in particular.
2. A rambling; an instance of someone talking at length without direction.
3. (mining) A bed of shale over the seam of coal.
4. A section of woodland suitable for leisurely walking.

Verb

1. To move about aimlessly, or on a winding course
2. To walk for pleasure; to amble or saunter.
3. 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.

Synonyms

• (talk or write unclearly, or incoherently) drivel

Anagrams

• ambler
• blamer
• marble