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Meander vs Squander - What's the difference?

meander | squander |

As verbs the difference between meander and squander

is that meander is to wind or turn in a course or passage; to be intricate while squander is to waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.

As a noun meander

is a winding, crooked, or involved course.

meander

English

Alternative forms

* (archaic)

Noun

(wikipedia meander) (en noun)
  • A winding, crooked, or involved course.
    • the meanders of an old river, or of the veins and arteries in the body
  • * Sir R. Blackmore
    • While lingering rivers in meanders glide.
  • A tortuous or intricate movement.
  • Fretwork.
  • (math) A self-avoiding closed curve which intersects a line a number of times.

    • Derived terms

    * meander belt * meanderer * meandering * meanderian * meanderic * meanderiform * meanderine * meander line * meander loop * meandrous * meandry

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To wind or turn in a course or passage; to be intricate.
    • The stream meandered through the valley.
  • To wind, turn, or twist; to make flexuous.
    • (Dryton)

    References

    * The Chambers Dictionary (1998)

    Anagrams

    * *

    squander

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.
  • * 1746 , Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac Agribusiness Management
    • Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 24 , author=David Ornstein , title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=As the game opened up, Bolton squandered a fine opportunity to equalise - Chris Eagles shooting straight at Szczesny - but then back came Arsenal.}}
  • (obsolete) To scatter; to disperse.
  • * Dryden
    • Our squandered troops he rallies.
  • To wander at random; to scatter.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The wise man's folly is anatomized / Even by squandering glances of the fool.

    Usage notes

    Squander implies starting with many resources, such as great wealth, and then wasting them (using them up to little purpose or little effect), often ending with little. Particularly used in phrases such as “squander an opportunity” or “squander an inheritance”. It may be used even if one starts with little, though usually in some construction such as “squander what little he had”.

    Synonyms

    * waste, splurge * ducks and drakes * throw away

    References