▪ I. † ˈmaunder, n.1 Cant. Obs.
[f. maund v.1 + -er1.]
A beggar.
| 1609 W. Rowley Search for Money (Percy Soc.) 40 The Divill (like a brave maunder) was rid a begging himselfe and wanted Money. 1610 Rowlands Martin Mark-all G 4 To write of his knaueries, it would aske a long time: I referre you to the old manuscript, remayning on record in maunders hall. 1641 Brome Joviall Crew ii. Wks. 1873 III. 377 The great Commander of the Maunders, and king of Canters. 1719 D'Urfey Pills III. 100 A Craver my Father, a Maunder my Mother. 1829 Lytton Disowned I. ii. 12 Hark ye, my maunders, if ye dare beg, borrow, or steal a single croker [etc.]. |
▪ II. maunder, n.2
(ˈmɔːndə(r))
[f. maunder v.2]
Idle incoherent talk or writing.
| 1880 Sat. Rev. 20 Nov. 656 Beatrice Melton's Discipline is not so much a story as a maunder without beginning or end. 1892 Pall Mall G. 22 Mar. 3/2 The discussion that followed was little better than amiable maunder. |
▪ III. † ˈmaunder, v.1 Cant. Obs.
[? f. maunder n.1]
intr. To beg.
| 1611 Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girle K 3 b, I instructed him in the rudements of roguery..so that now he can maunder better than my selfe. c 1616 Fletcher & Mass. Thierry & Theod. v. i, Beg, beg, and keep Constables waking,..maunder for butter-milk. |
▪ IV. maunder, v.2
(ˈmɔːndə(r))
Also 7 mander.
[Of obscure origin; perh. imitative: with senses 2 and 3 cf. daunder, dander v.]
† 1. intr. ‘To grumble, mutter or growl’ (Phillips, ed. Kersey, 1706). Obs.
Very common in the 17th c. Quot. 1848 may belong to 3.
| 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. iii. ii. i, At home, abroad, he is the same, still inquiring, mandring, gazing, listening, affrighted with every small object. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 253 When I heard them thus mutter and maunder against him, I came vnto them. a 1632 T. Taylor God's Judgem. iv. (1642) 55 She began to mander and murmur. a 1708 Beveridge Priv. Th. i. (1816) 149 Not repining at their master's commands, not muttering and maundering against them. 1711 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 28 Apr., I hate to buy for her: I am sure she will maunder. 1740 De Mouhy's Fort. Country-Maid (1782) II. 286/1 The door was opened: He maunder'd; but Julia was beforehand with him. She said [etc.]. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. vi, What are ye maundering and greeting for? 1848 Kingsley Saint's Trag. iv. i, Let halting worldlings..Maunder against earth's ties, yet clutch them still. |
2. To move or act in a dreamy, idle, or inconsequent manner. Const. along, away. Cf. dander v. 1.
| c 1746 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. Wks. (1862) 64, I maundert up on deawn hereobeawt ogen, oth' seme sleeveless arnt. 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 25, I lost me sel on thor plaguy Fels, an I been maunderin twoa heaal neets an twoa days. 1841 Lytton Nt. & Morn. II. vi, A day-dreamer who had wasted away his life in dawdling and maundering over Simple Poetry. 1887 Jessopp Arcady vii. 218 He came maundering after Miss Tasker thirty years ago. 1890 H. Frederic Lawton Girl 56 She..maundered along wearily through such tasks of the day as forced themselves upon her. |
b. quasi-trans. with away.
| 1867 S. Wilberforce Sp. Missions (1874) 61 To take things as they are, and not to maunder away our lives and our sympathies. |
3. To talk in the dreamy and foolish manner characteristic of dotage or imbecility; to ramble or wander in one's talk. Also trans. to utter (something) in this manner. Cf. dander v. 2.
| 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. i. iv, Mumbling and maundering the merest commonplaces. 1860 W. Collins Wom. White 121 While he was maundering on in this way I was..returning to my senses. 1860 All Year Round No. 74. 569 Signor Tagliafico's double maunders out good Tory port wine sentiments. 1861 Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. vi, The help..was maundering away some..sentimental ditty. 1865 Livingstone Zambesi iii. 68 We might maunder away about intellect. 1869 Trollope He Knew, etc. lxviii, Men..had heard the old Major maunder on for years past. |