pootle

English

WOTD – 18 April 2007

Etymology

Apparently an alteration of poodle, from German Low German Pudel, from the onomatopoeic term pudeln (“to splash about”) by its merging with tootle. Alternatively, a blending of doodle (to draw aimlessly) with potter (to move aimlessly)—as reported by 1970s English visitors to Australia.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpuːtəl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

pootle (plural pootles)

1. (British) A stroll; a wandering.

   go for a pootle

Verb

pootle (third-person singular simple present pootles, present participle pootling, simple past and past participle pootled)

1. (British) To wander or ramble in a leisurely, indirect, or aimless manner, such as by walking or driving.

   Synonyms: ramble, wander, potter

   • 2011 April 30, Stephen Bates, “Prince William takes new wife for a spin in father's Aston Martin”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Prince William, in a surprise break from the schedule, borrowed his father's 41-year-old open-topped Aston Martin to pootle down the Mall to Clarence House with his new bride.

Derived terms

• pootle along