Wander v. i. (past & past part. wandered; pres. part. wandering) 1.To ramble here and there without any certain course or with no definite object in view; to range about; to stroll; to rove; as, to wander over the fields. "They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins." "He wandereth abroad for bread."
2.To go away; to depart; to stray off; to deviate; to go astray; as, a writer wanders from his subject. "When God caused me to wander from my father's house." "O, let me not wander from thy commandments."
3.To be delirious; not to be under the guidance of reason; to rave; as, the mind wanders.
Synonyms: To roam; rove; range; stroll; gad; stray; straggly; err; swerve; deviate; depart.
Wandering n. A. & n. from Wander, v. Wandering albatross (Zool.), the great white albatross.
Wandering cell (Physiol.), an animal cell which possesses the power of spontaneous movement, as one of the white corpuscles of the blood.
Wandering Jew (Bot.), any one of several creeping species of Tradescantia, which have alternate, pointed leaves, and a soft, herbaceous stem which roots freely at the joints. They are commonly cultivated in hanging baskets, window boxes, etc.
Wandering kidney (Med.), a morbid condition in which one kidney, or, rarely, both kidneys, can be moved in certain directions; called also floating kidney, movable kidney.
Wandering liver (Med.), a morbid condition of the liver, similar to wandering kidney.
Wandering mouse (Zool.), the whitefooted, or deer, mouse.
Wandering spider (Zool.), any one of a tribe of spiders that wander about in search of their prey.