a. [ F., fr. L. vagabundus, from vagari to stroll about, from vagus strolling. See Vague. ] 1. Moving from place to place without a settled habitation; wandering. “Vagabond exile.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Floating about without any certain direction; driven to and fro. [ 1913 Webster ]

To heaven their prayers
Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds
Blown vagabond or frustrate. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Being a vagabond; strolling and idle or vicious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who wanders from place to place, having no fixed dwelling, or not abiding in it, and usually without the means of honest livelihood; a vagrant; a tramp; hence, a worthless person; a rascal. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be. Gen. iv. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In English and American law, vagabond is used in bad sense, denoting one who is without a home; a strolling, idle, worthless person. Vagabonds are described in old English statutes as “such as wake on the night and sleep on the day, and haunt customable taverns and alehouses, and routs about; and no man wot from whence they came, nor whither they go.” In American law, the term vagrant is employed in the same sense. Cf Rogue, n., 1. Burrill. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To play the vagabond; to wander like a vagabond; to stroll. [ 1913 Webster ]

On every part my vagabonding sight
Did cast, and drown mine eyes in sweet delight. Drummond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. vagabondage. ] The condition of a vagabond; a state or habit of wandering about in idleness; vagrancy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vagabondage. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To play the vagabond; to wander about in idleness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vagabondage. [ 1913 Webster ]