stray

From Middle English, from Old French estraier (verb), and estrai (noun), from Vulgar Latin via strata, paved road[1].

• enPR: strā, IPA^(key): /stɹeɪ/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -eɪ

stray (plural strays)

1. Any domestic animal that has no enclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray.
2. (figuratively) One who is lost, either literally or metaphorically.
3. The act of wandering or going astray.
4. (historical) An area of common land or place administered for the use of general domestic animals, i.e. "the stray"

• (stray cats) See feral cat

• astray
• estray

stray (third-person singular simple present strays, present participle straying, simple past and past participle strayed)

1. (intransitive) To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.
   • Denham

     Thames among the wanton valleys strays.

2. (intransitive) To wander from one's limits; to rove or roam at large; to go astray.
3. (intransitive, figuratively) To wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.
   • November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk

     It was a derby that left Manchester United a long way back in Manchester City’s wing-mirrors and, in the worst moments, straying dangerously close to being their own worst enemy.

4. (transitive) To cause to stray.
   • 1591, William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors, V. i. 51:

     Hath not else his eye / Strayed his affection in unlawful love,

• deviate
• err

stray (not comparable)

1. Having gone astray; strayed; wandering

   The alley is full of stray cats rummaging through the garbage.

   • 2017 April 6, Samira Shackle, “On the frontline with Karachi’s ambulance drivers”, in the Guardian‎:

     The organisation fills many gaps left by the state, operating a dizzying array of services, including homes for victims of domestic violence, food banks and a shelter for stray animals.

2. In the wrong place; misplaced.

   a stray comma

• stray line
• stray mark

• T-rays, artsy, satyr, stary, trays, yrast