Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The act of going about idly, or of moving from place to place from mere curiosity; an idle visit.
Wiktionary
- v. present participle of gad.
GNU Webster's 1913
- Going about much, needlessly or without purpose.
Examples
“My brother, who works the milk rounds with my father and whom I've been closer to than anyone in my family and is my greatest supporter. has now adopted the air of someone getting on with the real business of life, and not "gadding" after pie-in-the-sky notions of stardom and the high life.”
“While I wouldn't want to speculate on her mindset, this took me back to when I was gadding about, back in the day.”
The Guardian: Rape: let's take more care when we talk about it | Barbara Ellen
“To be perfectly honest, I'm pleased for young Ravel - he's getting out of Manchester and moving to the east end of London, where he'll be gadding about with lots of new friends and disposable income as he makes a fresh start.”
The Guardian: Transfer window deadline day 2012 – as it happened
“Barnham Water has set my brains a-gadding, and I fear I shall not get rid of the subject untill I have given it a suit of cloaths.”
“Cosseted all winter in socks, your feet now are most likely gadding about in strappy sandals, flip-flops and peep-toe wedges.”
“Off he will go, gadding about the world dispensing wisdom and hankies in equal measure.”
“Was that really Samantha Cameron gadding around a Tower Hamlets housing estate in Converse trainers and a plaid shirt, telling everyone to grow their own lettuces?”
“Surely this was also a good reason not to be seen to be gadding about on a vanity project just now (one is reminded of Margaret Thatcher nipping off to Paris in the midst of her leadership demise) but to have your nose well down to the domestic grindstone, however boring, so that the crew has the sense of a Captain at the helm, steadying the ship in a storm.”
“The Prime Minster (you remember him, he's the one who has been gadding about the world making whoopee at your expense) has indulged himself in a bitter attack on the media, as reported by the Daily Telegraph and elsewhere (HERE).”
“And, of course, there is the little matter of his former master, one Tony Blair, gadding about the Middle East trying to create that all-important legacy for himself as Middle East super-envoy, which will doubtless muddy the waters for Mr. Milliband.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘gadding’.
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ulyssean
... as in "by James Joyce"
stately, plump, aloft, gurgling, untonsured, chrysostomos, jowl, parapet, jesuit, indigestion, scutter, noserag and 688 more...
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Wuthering Heights
From Wuthering Heights
sagacity, austere, surmise, corroborating, malignity, ensconing, copious, perforce, obviate, dilapidation, must needs, palaver and 154 more...
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love
Tweets
Looking for tweets for gadding.
brtom "He encircled his gadding hair with a coronal of vineleaves ..."
Joyce, Ulysses, 14 Jan 20, 2007