STRAY


Meaning of STRAY in English

v., n., & adj.

v.intr. 1 wander from the right place; become separated from one's companions etc.; go astray. 2 deviate morally. 3 (as strayed adj.) that has gone astray.

n. 1 a person or thing that has strayed, esp. a domestic animal. 2 (esp. in pl.) electrical phenomena interfering with radio reception.

adj. 1 strayed or lost. 2 isolated; found or occurring occasionally (a stray customer or two; hit by a stray bullet). 3 Physics wasted or unwanted (eliminate stray magnetic fields). strayer n.

[ ME f. AF & OF estrayer (v.), AF strey (n. & adj.) f. OF estraié (as ASTRAY) ]

Concise Oxford English dictionary.      Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка.