Hypertext Webster Gateway: "stray"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stray \Stray\, v. t.
To cause to stray. [Obs.] --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stray \Stray\, a. [Cf. OF. estrai['e], p. p. of estraier. See
{Stray}, v. i., and cf. {Astray}, {Estray}.]
Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a strayhorse or
sheep.
{Stray line} (Naut.), that portion of the log line which is
veered from the reel to allow the chip to get clear of the
stern eddies before the glass is turned.
{Stray mark} (Naut.), the mark indicating the end of the
stray line.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stray \Stray\, n.
1. Any domestic animal that has an inclosure, or its proper
place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an
estray. Used also figuratively.
Seeing him wander about, I took him up for a stray.
--Dryden.
2. The act of wandering or going astray. [R.] --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stray \Stray\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Strayed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Straying}.] [OF. estraier, estraer, to stray, or as adj.,
stray, fr. (assumed) L. stratarius roving the streets, fr. L.
strata (sc. via) a paved road. See {Street}, and {Stray}, a.]
1. To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out
of the way.
Thames among the wanton valleys strays. --Denham.
2. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove
at large; to roam; to go astray.
Now, until the break of day, Through this house each
fairy stray. --Shak.
A sheep doth very often stray. --Shak.
3. Figuratively, to wander from the path of duty or
rectitude; to err.
We have erred and strayed from thy ways. --??? of
Com. Prayer.
While meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely
known to stray. --Cowper.
Syn: To deviate; err; swerve; rove; roam; wander.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
stray
adj : not close together in time; "isolated instances of
rebellion"; "scattered fire"; "a stray bullet grazed
his thigh" [syn: {isolated}, {scattered}]
n : homeless cat [syn: {alley cat}]
v 1: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in
search of food or employment; "The gypsies roamed the
woods"; "roving vagabonds"; "the wandering Jew"; "The
cattle roam across the prairie"; "the laborers drift
from one town to the next" [syn: {wander}, {swan}, {tramp},
{roam}, {cast}, {ramble}, {rove}, {range}, {drift}, {vagabond}]
2: wander from a direct or straight course [syn: {sidetrack}, {depart},
{digress}, {straggle}]
3: wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed
from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don't
drift from the set course" [syn: {err}, {drift}]
4: lose clarity or turn aside esp. from the main subject of
attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or
speaking; "She always digresses when telling a story";
"her mind wanders"; "Don't digress when you give a
lecture" [syn: {digress}, {divagate}, {wander}]
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