gondeln

to drift along, to ride at leisure

verb GON-deln Rare

Origin: from Italian gondola

Also means

to travel unhurriedly by gondola or cable car

Usage Note

Gondeln in modern colloquial German means to travel slowly and pleasurably, or to drift without urgency — durch die Stadt gondeln (to cruise through the city). It is informal and slightly humorous.

Examples

"Wir gondelten gemütlich mit dem Fahrrad durch die Weinberge."

Natural Translation

We leisurely cruised through the vineyards by bike.

Literal Translation

We gondoled comfortably with the bicycle through the vineyards.

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