Definition of ramble

The origin of the word "ramble" can be traced back to the Middle English language, during the 14th century. The word originally meant "to move aimlessly or without restriction," derived from the Old French word "rembler," which meant "to rest" or "to repose." The Old French word "rembler" was believed to have originated from the Latin word "rombere," which meant "to rumble" or "to make a loud noise." This Latin root also gave us the modern English words "rumble" and "rumor." The Middle English word "remlen" soon evolved to "remlenge," meaning "to survive" or "to remain alive." The prefix "re-" meant "again" or "back," while the suffix "-menge" meant "motion" or "maintenance." During the 15th century, the word "ramyen," which was derived from "remyen" and meant "wild and idle talk," started emerging in written English. In the following centuries, "ramyen" became "rambler" and ultimately "ramble." By the 16th century, "ramble" was commonly used to describe aimless conversations, and by the 17th century, it had started referring to wandering or walking aimlessly in search of a destination. Today, it is used in a variety of contexts, such as describing an unfocused discussion, anaimless course of action, or a leisurely walk or hike in nature.