rambling

[ram-bling] /ˈræm blɪŋ/
adjective
1.
aimlessly wandering.
2.
taking an irregular course; straggling:
a rambling brook.
3.
spread out irregularly in various directions:
a rambling mansion.
4.
straying from one subject to another; desultory:
a rambling novel.
Origin
1615-25; ramble + -ing2
Related forms
ramblingly, adverb
ramblingness, noun
unrambling, adjective
Synonyms
4. discursive.

ramble

[ram-buh l] /ˈræm bəl/
verb (used without object), rambled, rambling.
1.
to wander around in a leisurely, aimless manner:
They rambled through the shops until closing time.
2.
to take a course with many turns or windings, as a stream or path.
3.
to grow in a random, unsystematic fashion:
The vine rambled over the walls and tree trunks.
4.
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), rambled, rambling.
5.
to walk aimlessly or idly over or through:
They spent the spring afternoon rambling woodland paths.
noun
6.
a walk without a definite route, taken merely for pleasure.
Origin
1610-20; origin uncertain
Synonyms
1. stroll, saunter, amble, stray, straggle. See roam.
Examples from the web for rambling
  • His commanding physical presence is reduced these days, his rhetoric more rambling than rousing.
  • It is a bewildering, rambling compilations of disjointed news-clippings taken completely out of context for maximum distortion.
  • It's not much in the way of buildings: a rambling shack, a few computers, posters of wading birds on the walls.
  • Its rambling sentences and mathematical equations leave the reader more irritated than fascinated.
  • He figured out that they were all the same thing and helped bring coherence to a rambling tale.
  • Foxx portrays a breathless and rambling schizophrenic.
  • But on the whole he has his ideas under control and keeps the rambling tale moving.
  • Vast grounds, including rock gardens and a rambling lawn.
  • He called me in the middle of the night rambling about his roommate stalking and wanting to harm him.
  • rambling on about economic theory can be helpful, but do not let us forget the human element.
British Dictionary definitions for rambling

rambling

/ˈræmblɪŋ/
adjective
1.
straggling or sprawling haphazardly; unplanned: a rambling old house
2.
(of speech or writing) lacking a coherent plan; diffuse and disconnected
3.
(of a plant, esp a rose) profusely climbing and straggling
4.
nomadic; wandering

ramble

/ˈræmbəl/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to stroll about freely, as for relaxation, with no particular direction
2.
(of paths, streams, etc) to follow a winding course; meander
3.
(of plants) to grow in a random fashion
4.
(of speech, writing, etc) to lack organization
noun
5.
a leisurely stroll, esp in the countryside
Word Origin
C17: probably related to Middle Dutch rammelen to roam (of animals); see ram
Word Origin and History for rambling
adj.

1623, present participle adjective from ramble (v.).

ramble

v.

mid-15c., perhaps frequentative of romen "to walk, go" (see roam), perhaps via romblen (late 14c.) "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" [Weekley]. Meaning "to talk or write incoherently" is from 1630s. Related: Rambled; rambling.

n.

"a roving or wandering," 1650s, from ramble (v.).