meandering
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Following a winding and turning course: Describes something, typically a path, river, or route, that does not follow a straight line but instead curves and turns in a relaxed, indirect manner.
- Proceeding in an aimless or leisurely way: Can describe speech, thought, or writing that is long, indirect, and without a clear, direct structure.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- We followed the meandering path through the woods. (This describes a physical path that winds and turns.)
- The meandering river creates beautiful oxbow lakes. (This describes the characteristic winding course of a river.)
- His meandering lecture was difficult to follow. (This describes speech or narrative that is long, indirect, and lacks focus.)
Advanced Usage
"to meander" (verb): The action of following a winding course or proceeding in a leisurely, indirect way.
- The stream meanders through the valley. (The stream follows a winding course.)
- The conversation meandered from topic to topic. (The conversation moved indirectly without a clear direction.)
Figurative Use: Used to describe non-physical things that lack directness or structure.
- The novel's meandering plot lost some readers. (The plot of the novel was indirect and rambling.)
Variants and Related Words
- Meander (n): A winding curve or bend of a river or road.
- The map showed every meander of the ancient river.
- Meander (v): To follow a winding course; to wander aimlessly.
- We spent the afternoon meandering through the old town.
- Meanderer (n): One who meanders.
- He was a cheerful meanderer, always taking the scenic route.
Synonyms
- Winding: Having many curves and turns.
- Serpentine: Winding like a snake.
- Tortuous: Full of twists and turns (can imply complexity or difficulty).
- Rambling: Lengthy and confused in speech or writing; spreading irregularly.
- Circuitous: Longer than the most direct way; roundabout.
Antonyms
- Straight: Extending uniformly in one direction without a curve.
- Direct: Proceeding by the shortest way without turning aside.
- Linear: Arranged in or extending along a straight line.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "To lose the thread": While not containing "meandering," this idiom describes the result of listening to a meandering speech or story.
- His story was so meandering that I completely lost the thread.
Adjective
- of a path e.g.
- meandering streams
- rambling forest paths
- the river followed its wandering course
- a winding country road