From Middle English stray, strey, from Anglo-Norman estray, stray, Old French estrai, from the verb (see below).
Meanings
Any domestic animal that lacks an enclosure, proper place, or company, but that instead wanders at large or is lost; an estray.
(figuratively, literally) A person who is lost.
But vvhat a vvretched, and diſconſolate Hermitage is that Houſe, vvhich is not viſited by thee [God], and vvhat a VVayue, and Stray is that Man, that hath not thy Markes vpon him? 1624, John Donne, “13. Prayer”, in Deuotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Seuerall Steps in My Sicknes: […], London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for Thomas Iones, →OCLC, page 329:
An act of wandering off or going astray.
(historical) An area of common land for use by domestic animals.
(UK, archaic) An article of movable property, of which the owner is not known (see waif).
waifs and strays
An instance of atmospheric interference.
This invention relates broadly to radio communication, but more particularly to a radio receiving system used for the reception of high frequency current signals wherever they are subject to interference from "static" or strays of an untuned or aperiodic character. 1926, Popular Radio, volume 9, page 191:
Electromagnetic interference EMI, radio interference RI, television interference TVI, and radio frequency interference RFI, can all be described as a confusion to received radio signals due to strays and undesirable signals. 1976, IEEE Power Engineering Society, Nuclear Power: Health, Safety, Waste Disposal, page 20:
Because of their shortness, such signals are usually easy to distinguish from the bomb returns but, when such a stray is recorded just before the bomb return, too close to be distinguished by ear […] 1942, John C. Mathisson, Radio Acoustic Ranging, page 652:
(slang) A casual or offhand insult.
A submissive that has not committed to submit to any particular dominant, particulary in petplay.
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of stray bullet.
ru бездо́мный (domestic animal at large or lost) · ckb بەلەسە (act of wandering or going astray) · el αδέσποτο (domestic animal at large or lost) · fr errance (act of wandering or going astray) · ru заблуди́вшийся (act of wandering or going astray) · gag saabisiz (domestic animal at large or lost) · es extravío (act of wandering or going astray) · sq rrugaç (domestic animal at large or lost) · scn di strata (domestic animal at large or lost) · sk zatúlaný (domestic animal at large or lost) · ru шально́й (act of wandering or going astray) · nl loslopende (domestic animal at large or lost) · fi yhteislaidun (area of common land) · tr başıboş dolaşan (domestic animal at large or lost) · fi karkulainen (domestic animal at large or lost) · de Streuner (domestic animal at large or lost) · cs toulavý (domestic animal at large or lost) · pl przybłęda (domestic animal at large or lost) · bg отклоняване (act of wandering or going astray) · scn sarbaggiu (domestic animal at large or lost) · sk túlavý (domestic animal at large or lost) · fr commun (area of common land) · bg бездомно животно (domestic animal at large or lost) · ro maidanez (domestic animal at large or lost) · sq endacak (domestic animal at large or lost) · it randagio (domestic animal at large or lost) · mn золбин (domestic animal at large or lost) · fr animal errant (domestic animal at large or lost) · scn vagabunnu (domestic animal at large or lost) · it vagante (act of wandering or going astray) · fi karkaaminen (act of wandering or going astray) · pt desgarrado (domestic animal at large or lost) · pt vira-lata (domestic animal at large or lost) · scn sarbaggiu (act of wandering or going astray) · sq arrakat (act of wandering or going astray) · ru бродя́чий (domestic animal at large or lost) · cmn 迷失 (domestic animal at large or lost) · cmn 离群 (domestic animal at large or lost) · ro vagabond (domestic animal at large or lost) · fi harhailu (act of wandering or going astray)
From Middle English strayen, partly from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin via strata, and partly from Middle English strien, streyen, streyȝen (“to spread, scatter”), from Old English strēġan (“to strew”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.
Thames among the wanton valleys strays. 1642, John Denham, Cooper's Hill:
(intransitive) To wander from company or outside proper limits; to rove or roam at large; to go astray.
(intransitive) 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.
(transitive) To cause to stray; lead astray.
To ease myself I was compelled to leave my basket behind me, trusting to return and find it, if I should ever reach safety and discover on what pathless hill I had been strayed. 1899, John Buchan, No Man's Land:
Hath not else his eye / Strayed his affection in unlawful love, c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], line 51:
de sich irren (to err) · mi ātiu (to wander from company or from proper limits) · es descarriarse (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ru плута́ть (to wander from company or from proper limits) · es divagar (to wander from a direct course) · sk zblúdiť (to err) · pl błądzić (to wander from a direct course) · pl zabłądzić (to err) · trk-oat آزمق (to wander from a direct course) · pt desviar-se (to wander from a direct course) · ota آزمق (to err) · ru сби́ться с пути́ (to err) · pl zbłądzić (to err) · de sich verlaufen (to wander from company or from proper limits) · mi ātiutiu (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ru сверну́ть (to wander from a direct course) · fi eksyä (to wander from a direct course) · sq humbas (to err) · ang dwelian (to wander from a direct course) · pl zbłądzić (to wander from a direct course) · it zigzagare (to wander from a direct course) · de verloren gehen (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ang dwelian (to wander from company or from proper limits) · es errar (to wander from a direct course) · tr başıboş dolaşmak (to wander from a direct course) · sq hapërda (to wander from a direct course) · ba яңылышыу (to err) · bg обърквам пътя (to err) · fr éloigner (to wander from a direct course) · tr sapmak (to wander from a direct course) · bg заблуждавам се (to err) · trk-oat یازمق (to err) · ba аҙыу (to err) · ca desviar-se (to wander from a direct course) · it vagare (to wander from a direct course) · bg отклонявам се (to wander from a direct course) · de streunen (to wander from a direct course) · ota آزمق (to wander from a direct course) · ru сбива́ться с пути́ (to err) · it perdersi (to err) · es callejear (to wander from a direct course) · ru свора́чивать (to wander from a direct course) · trk-oat آزمق (to err) · pl zabłądzić (to wander from a direct course) · nl dwalen (to wander from a direct course) · sq hupi (gheg) (to err) · hi भटकना (to wander from a direct course) · fi harhautua (to wander from a direct course) · bg отклонявам се (to wander from company or from proper limits) · la pālor (to wander from company or from proper limits) · la pālor (to wander from a direct course) · es descaminarse (to wander from company or from proper limits) · sk potulovať sa (to wander from a direct course) · mi atitirauhea (to wander from company or from proper limits) · tr yanılmak (to err) · es extraviarse (to wander from company or from proper limits) · es perderse (to wander from company or from proper limits) · pt afastar-se (to wander from a direct course) · ar ضَلَّ (to wander from a direct course) · fi karata (to wander from company or from proper limits) · fi poiketa (to wander from a direct course) · tr yoldan sapmak (to wander from a direct course) · de irren (to wander from a direct course) · sk túlať sa (to wander from a direct course) · it estraniarsi (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ca esgarriar-se (to wander from company or from proper limits) · pt perder-se (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ang dwelian (to err) · pl błądzić (to err) · fi hairahtua (to err) · es vagabundear (to wander from a direct course) · it snodare (to wander from a direct course) · cs bloudit (to wander from a direct course) · mi kōtitititi (to wander from a direct course) · mi kotiti (to wander from a direct course) · pt desviar-se (to wander from company or from proper limits) · tr kaybolmak (to wander from company or from proper limits) · ru блужда́ть (to wander from company or from proper limits) · fr errer (to wander from a direct course) · it snodarsi (to wander from a direct course)
From Middle English stray, from the noun (see above).
Meanings
Having gone astray; strayed; wandering.
The alley is full of stray cats rummaging through the garbage.
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. 2017 April 6, Samira Shackle, “On the frontline with Karachi’s ambulance drivers”, in the Guardian: