Walkings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. The acts or instances of moving at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn without running ; the habitual practice or exercise of ambulation for health or leisure ; successive steps taken in sequence for traveling on foot or covering a distance
  2. The process of traveling by foot using a steady, alternating foot motion ; repeated actions of going on foot for pleasure, exercise, or transport ; continuous progress made by placing one foot before the other in a routine manner
  3. The continuous activity of shifting weight and placing feet forward to move along a path ; common forms of human locomotion involving the placement of feet alternately ; various episodes of moving around using a natural, non-running gait

Etymology: The noun form referring to the act or practice of moving on foot, often pluralized as "walkings," is a straightforward extension of the verb "to walk." The base verb comes from Old English "wealcan," meaning "to roll, toss, or turn," which evolved in Middle English to signify the act of moving by putting one foot in front of the other. By the 14th century, "walk" had settled into its current sense of traveling on foot. Using the verb as a noun by adding the suffix "-ing" to form a gerund or verbal noun is a common feature of English. This suffix turns the action into a concept or event. While "walking" as a singular noun is well established, the plural "walkings" is rare and often found in more poetic or philosophical contexts, where multiple instances or kinds of walking are discussed. For example, one might read about "the walkings of the pilgrims" to emphasize distinct journeys or patterns of movement. The pluralization reflects English’s flexible approach to nominalizing actions, allowing speakers to highlight repeated or varied occurrences of an activity. Although "walkings" is not frequent in everyday speech, it appears in literature and historical texts where nuanced descriptions of movement are necessary. In sum, "walkings" grows naturally from a verb describing a basic human action, adopting the noun form to convey multiple acts or styles of walking. Its formation is a typical example of English word-building rather than a story of borrowing or dramatic semantic shift.

Synonyms: strolls, marches, hikes, treks, ambulations

Antonyms: runnings, standings, sitings, riding, restings