wander
wander — verb
1. to move from place to place at a slow, relaxed pace, with no fixed plan, destina
to move from place to place at a slow, relaxed pace, with no fixed plan, destination, or urgent purpose.
Rodrigo spent the whole afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the old town.
wander + through + [place]
We wandered along the beach for an hour, collecting shells and watching the waves.
wander + along + [place]
A group of tourists wandered around the night market, stopping at every food stall.
After checking into the hotel, the Watanabe family wandered the streets near the station.
Tanvi wandered into the garden and found a small bird trapped under a chair.
文法句型
wander + adverb/prepositional phrase (through, around, along)
wander + noun (place; chiefly American)
用法筆記
Most common with a prepositional phrase (through, around, along) that describes the area. In American English, 'wander' can take a place noun directly ('wander the halls'). Neither a that-clause nor a to-infinitive follows this sense.
常見錯誤
2. if a person's eyes or hands move across someone or something in a way that is to
if a person's eyes or hands move across someone or something in a way that is too curious, unwanted, or sexually suggestive.
During the job interview, the manager's eyes kept wandering down to her hands.
eyes + keep wandering
The teacher noticed that Iker's hands were wandering toward a classmate's desk.
hands + wander toward + [person/object]
Élise felt uncomfortable when the stranger's eyes wandered over her body on the train.
His gaze wandered across the room, lingering a little too long on the bride.
文法句型
[body part] + wander + (prepositional phrase)
用法筆記
Subject is always a body part (eyes, hands, gaze, fingers), never the person themselves. The sentence describes unwanted or inappropriate attention; the context makes the disapproval clear. Distinguish from sense 1: the movement is small and focused, not whole-body travel.
3. to have a sexual or romantic relationship with someone other than your husband,
to have a sexual or romantic relationship with someone other than your husband, wife, or regular partner.
After ten years of marriage, Christopher began to wander, and his wife soon found out.
begin to wander (of a spouse)
The novel tells of a woman whose husband had wandered during their first year of marriage.
Mert's grandmother always warned him never to wander from the person he loved.
It was an open secret among the neighbours that Mr. Chen had wandered more than once.
- stray
almost identical; slightly more common in idiomatic use ('stray from the marriage')
- cheat
more direct and common in everyday speech
- have an affair
neutral; describes the full relationship, not just the act
文法句型
wander
wander from [marriage/relationship]
用法筆記
Always describes infidelity within a committed relationship. The verb is used alone ('he wandered') or with 'from' ('wander from the marriage'). Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 involves a full relationship, not just hands or eyes. This sense is informal; 'have an affair' is more neutral.
4. to begin speaking about subjects that are not connected to the main point of a c
to begin speaking about subjects that are not connected to the main point of a conversation, speech, or piece of writing.
Professor Asher wandered off the topic of physics and started talking about ancient history.
wander off the topic
The panel discussion wandered from food policy into a debate about global warming.
wander from X into Y
Jisoo tried to keep her presentation focused but kept wandering back to an earlier point.
When my grandfather tells that story, he wanders and nobody can follow the plot.
- stick to
to stay on the main subject without leaving it
- stay on track
idiom for keeping a discussion focused
文法句型
wander + from/off + topic/subject
wander + into + area/subject
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'from', 'off', or 'into' to indicate the movement away from or toward a topic. 'Wander' here does not take a direct object. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 4 is about speech or writing, sense 5 is about internal thoughts.
常見錯誤
5. of your mind or attention, to drift away from what you ought to be concentrating
of your mind or attention, to drift away from what you ought to be concentrating on, turning instead to unrelated subjects or memories.
Trang's mind wandered during the long lecture, and she started planning her weekend.
[person]'s mind wandered
When Justin tried to meditate, his thoughts kept wandering to the argument he had earlier.
thoughts + wander to + [specific thing]
As the meeting dragged on, several people's attention wandered to the clock on the wall.
I was reading, but my mind wandered, and I realised I had read the same page twice.
Tendai let his thoughts wander back to the summer he spent in Japan.
- focus
to direct your thoughts toward one subject
- concentrate
to give full attention to a specific task or idea
文法句型
[mind/thoughts] + wander + (to/back to + [person/thing])
用法筆記
Subject is usually 'mind', 'thoughts', or 'attention'. The object of the preposition ('to', 'back to') names where the attention moves. Frequently appears with verbs like 'let' or 'allow' in positive contexts (daydreaming) or 'keep' in negative ones (inability to concentrate).
常見錯誤
6. of an elderly person, to become confused or unclear in thinking as a result of o
of an elderly person, to become confused or unclear in thinking as a result of old age, often shown by talking about things that do not make sense or forgetting recent events.
After her fall, the doctors said Grandma's mind was beginning to wander.
mind + be beginning to wander (medical context)
Ezra visits his uncle weekly and sees how much his mind has wandered over the past two years.
present perfect: mind has wandered
The night-shift nurse noticed that Mr. Okafor's mind wandered most often after sunset.
Your gran's mind is not wandering; she just gets sleepy late in the evening.
- lose one's marbles
very informal, can be disrespectful; use with care
- become confused
neutral and factual; appropriate in medical settings downplays the permanence
- sharp
mentally clear and alert
文法句型
[old person]'s mind is wandering
begin + to wander (of mind)
用法筆記
Applied almost exclusively to elderly people. The phrase 'his/her mind is wandering' implies a medical or age-related decline, not a temporary distraction. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 is about momentary lapses in attention that happen to anyone; sense 6 signals a chronic, progressive condition.
wander — noun
1. a short, relaxed walk, usually without a fixed route or destination, taken for p
a short, relaxed walk, usually without a fixed route or destination, taken for pleasure.
After dinner, the couple went for a wander through the park.
go for a wander
Take a wander around the old district; you will find lovely cafés hidden in the alleys.
take a wander around
Rodrigo had a quick wander through the museum before it closed for the afternoon.
Let's have a wander along the riverbank and see if the blossoms are out.
- march
energetic, purposeful walking
文法句型
(go for / have / take) + a wander + (around/through + [place])
用法筆記
Usually singular and often follows 'go for', 'have', or 'take'. The preposition (through, around, along) names the area walked. Distinguish from verb sense 1: the noun is an event or activity, while the verb is the action itself.