stroll
/strəʊl
/verb [no object, with adverbial of direction]
1Walk in a leisurely way: I strolled around the city...
- Matt Saunders strolled casually down the icy street, a thick black toque pulled snugly over his curly brown hair.
- We began to stroll casually down the street.
- He tucked his hands into the pant pockets as he casually strolled down the monolithic hallway.
Synonyms
saunter, amble, wander, meander, ramble, dawdle, promenade, walk, go for a walk, take a walk, roam, traipse, stretch one's legs, get some exercise, get some air, take the air;
Scottish & Irish stravaig
informal mosey, tootle
British informal pootle, bimble, mooch, swan
North American informal putter
rare perambulate, peregrinate
2Achieve a sporting victory without effort: the horse strolled home by 12 lengths...
- Bingley Congs knocked over visitors for 80 and strolled to an eight-wicket victory.
- York tried seven bowlers, almost without success, as the Academy strolled comfortably to victory.
- Coldstream worked hard during the contest, but the gulf in class was obvious as Brechin strolled to victory.
noun
1A short leisurely walk: we took a stroll in the garden...
- The festival offers a week of organised walks ranging from short strolls to challenging long distance routes.
- Hand in hand, they made a leisurely stroll across the garden, stopping from time to time to remark on one bravely struggling flower here or a sturdy vine there.
- There are a number of well-marked trails offering interesting walks ranging from short pleasant strolls to serious full-day hikes.
Synonyms
saunter, amble, wander, walk, turn, promenade, airing, breather;
outing, excursion, jaunt
informal mosey, tootle
British informal pootle, bimble, mooch
dated constitutional
rare perambulation
2A victory or objective that is easily achieved.Their supporters can barely rouse themselves for regulation home league wins achieved at a stroll....
- The young man that was about to rudely spoil Carlow's lazy stroll in the sun to victory was still marooned in the stand.
Origin
Early 17th century (in the sense 'roam as a vagrant'): probably from German strollen, strolchen, from Strolch 'vagabond', of unknown ultimate origin.
‘You had a foolish itch to be an actor, / And may stroll where you please’, wrote Philip Massinger in his play The Picture (1629). If you strolled in the early 17th century you were wandering from place to place, especially as a vagrant, a use now obsolete, although the phrase ‘strolling player’ is still used. The sense of walking in a leisurely way only appeared towards the end of the 17th century. Stroll may come from a German word for ‘a vagabond’.