wanders
wanders — noun
- wanderssingular
- wandersesplural
1. a period of walking at a gentle pace, going wherever you feel like without a set
a period of walking at a gentle pace, going wherever you feel like without a set plan or destination
After lunch, the Watanabe family went for a wander along the riverbank.
collocation: go for a wander
Diego enjoys his evening wanders through the old market streets.
plural form: wanders (countable noun)
A short wander around the park helped Sofie clear her mind before the exam.
Lara and Bao took a long wander through the hills behind the village.
- dash
a short, fast run with a specific purpose
文法句型
take/go for + wanders
wanders — verb
- wanderspresent simple I / you / we / they
- wanderses3rd person singular
- wandersing-ing form
- wandersedpast simple
1. to move slowly from place to place on foot, without a fixed route or a particula
to move slowly from place to place on foot, without a fixed route or a particular goal in mind
Tamar wanders through the farmer's market every Saturday morning, looking at the fresh vegetables.
wander + through [place]
James wandered around the old town for hours before finding the tiny café his friend had mentioned.
The cat wandered across three backyards before settling on a sunny porch step.
Salma and Jisoo wandered along the coastal path, stopping often to take pictures of the ocean.
Groups of tourists wander from one art gallery to the next during the annual festival.
- march
walk with a firm, purposeful stride in a specific direction
文法句型
wander + through/around/along [place]
用法筆記
Often followed by a prepositional phrase specifying the area or route (through, around, along, across). Not used transitively — you wander through a forest, not wander a forest (the transitive use is rare and literary).
常見錯誤
2. to move or look around in an uncontrolled or inappropriate way, especially when
to move or look around in an uncontrolled or inappropriate way, especially when your hands touch things or your eyes look at people in a way that suggests sexual interest
During the meeting, Diego's eyes kept wandering towards the window every time the topic grew dull.
eyes wander + towards [direction]
Beatrix noticed that the stranger's hand wandered onto her shoulder as the train jerked forward.
hand wanders + onto [body part/place] — inappropriate touch
Yuki's gaze wandered across the crowded room, briefly landing on each face before moving on.
The teacher gently reminded the students to keep their eyes from wandering during the test.
文法句型
[body part] + wander(s) + to/over/across [object]
用法筆記
Subject is typically a body part (eyes, hands, gaze, fingers) rather than a person. When applied to a person ('he wandered'), it carries a strong implication of sexual intent, and sense 3 often fits better.
常見錯誤
3. to become romantically or sexually involved with someone other than your husband
to become romantically or sexually involved with someone other than your husband, wife, or regular partner
Everyone in the village knew that Sahil's husband had wandered from his marriage vows.
wander from [marriage vows] — idiomatic for infidelity
After fifteen years of marriage, Kian could not believe that his partner had wandered.
The novel tells the story of a woman who wanders from her husband during a long sea voyage.
Aarav's friends warned him that a partner who wanders once will likely do so again.
- stay faithful
remain loyal to one's partner
文法句型
wander (from/on [partner])
用法筆記
Euphemistic and informal. More direct alternatives include 'cheat on' or 'have an affair'. The preposition 'on' is used in British English ('wander on someone') while 'from' is more common in American English ('wander from the marriage').
常見錯誤
4. to gradually stop talking about the main subject and begin discussing less relev
to gradually stop talking about the main subject and begin discussing less relevant topics instead
Professor Okonkwo tends to wander from the lecture topic whenever a student asks an interesting question.
wander from [topic] — digression pattern
During the budget meeting, Noa wandered off the agenda and started talking about office renovations.
The politician's speech wandered between three different policies without finishing any one point.
Kasia's story wandered from the accident itself to a long description of the weather that day.
Good essay writers check that their paragraphs do not wander away from the main argument.
- stay on topic
keep the discussion focused on the original subject
文法句型
wander + from/off [topic/subject]
5. to stop paying attention to what you should be focusing on and begin thinking ab
to stop paying attention to what you should be focusing on and begin thinking about unrelated things instead
Tamar's mind often wanders during long train rides, jumping from one memory to another.
mind wanders — core pattern for losing focus
When Bao is bored in a meeting, his thoughts wander to the hiking trails near his home.
The student's attention wandered from the textbook to the birds building a nest outside the window.
Salma let her thoughts wander freely as she listened to the gentle rain on the roof.
Jisoo's mind wandered to her grandmother's kitchen whenever the smell of cinnamon filled the air.
- focus
direct all your attention to one thing
文法句型
[mind/thoughts] + wander(s)
用法筆記
The subject is always 'mind', 'thoughts', 'attention', or 'imagination' — never a person. To describe a person being distracted, say '[person]'s mind wanders', not '[person] wanders'.
常見錯誤
6. to become confused, unclear, or disconnected in thinking as a result of old age
to become confused, unclear, or disconnected in thinking as a result of old age or illness, so that a person's words and memories no longer follow a logical order
The nurse noticed that Grandmother's mind was wandering when she could not remember her own daughter's name.
progressive: was wandering — ongoing state of confusion
Aunt Beatrix's mind began to wander after her fall, mixing up past and present events.
The doctor explained that it was normal for elderly patients with dementia to have their minds wander in this way.
Yuki visits her grandfather every weekend, reading to him even when his mind wanders mid-sentence.
- become confused
more direct and less euphemistic; describes the visible behaviour
- lose one's train of thought
temporary and can happen to anyone; not specific to old age
- lucid
thinking clearly and logically
文法句型
[mind] + is wandering (progressive)
用法筆記
Typically used in the progressive aspect (is wandering, was wandering) to describe a gradual decline rather than a single event. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 is a temporary, normal distraction (anyone can have their mind wander in a boring meeting), while sense 6 is a persistent symptom of ageing or illness.
常見錯誤
7. to follow a twisting, curving route rather than a straight line, as a river, pat
to follow a twisting, curving route rather than a straight line, as a river, path, or road does across a landscape
A narrow dirt track wanders through the wheat fields and disappears behind the hill.
subject as path/road/track + wanders through
The old Roman road wanders across the countryside, bending around farms built long after it.
Sofie followed the stream as it wandered gently between moss-covered stones and fallen branches.
The hiking trail wanders up the mountainside through pine forests and past small wooden bridges.
- run straight
follow a direct, linear course without curves
文法句型
[river/path/road] + wander(s) + through/along/across
用法筆記
Subject must be an inanimate entity with a linear shape: river, stream, road, path, trail, track, or corridor. Cannot be used for static features like walls or fences.