Search the Dictionary

The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation from the common way, from an established rule, etc.; departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.

Going out of the right or common course; going astray; erring; wandering; as, a devious step.

A wandering about or going astray; digression. Let us be set down at Queen's Crawley without further divagation. Thackeray.

A wandering; state of being in error.

Wandering; deviating from an appointed course, or from a direct path; roving. Seven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven. Sir T. Browne.

A wandering; a roving; esp., a roving in quest of adventures. Addison.

Having no certain course; roving about without a fixed destination; wandering; moving; -- hence, applied to the planets as distinguished from the fixed stars. The earth and each erratic world. Blackmore.

A wandering; a roving about. [Obs.] Cockeram.

Wandering; straying; deviating from the right course; -- hence, irregular; unnatural. [Obs.] "Erroneous circulation." Arbuthnot. Stopped much of the erroneous light, which otherwise would have disturbed the vision. Sir I. Newman.

A wandering; a roving or irregular course. [Obs.] The rest of his journey, his error by sea. B. Jonson.

Any valuable animal, not wild, found wandering from its owner; a stray. Burrill.

A wandering about; excursion; a roving. [R.] Ray.

A wandering from a subject; digression. I am not in a scribbling mood, and shall therefore make no excursions. Cowper.

Prone to make excursions; wandering; roving; exploring; as, an excursive fancy. The course of excursive . . . understandings. I. Taylor. -- Ex*cur"sive*ly, adv. -- Ex*cur"sive*ness, , n.

rive to attain by search; to look wisely and carefully for. [Obs.] Explores the lost, the wandering sheep directs. Pope.

A wandering beyond proper limits; an excursion or sally from the usual way, course, or limit.

Wandering beyond one's bounds; roving; hence, foreign. [Obs.] The extravagant and erring spirit hies To his confine. Shak.

A wandering beyond limits; excess. [Obs.] Smollett.

To become fixed; to settle or remain permanently; to cease from wandering; to rest. Your kindness banishes your fear, Resolved to fix forever here. Waller.

d with floating masses of whipped cream or white of eggs. -- Floating kidney. (Med.) See Wandering kidney, under Wandering. -- Floating light, a light shown at the masthead of a vessel moored over sunken rocks, shoals, etc., to warn mariners of danger; a light- ship; also, a light erected on a buoy or floating stage.…