— strayer , n.
/stray/ , v.i.
1. to deviate from the direct course, leave the proper place, or go beyond the proper limits, esp. without a fixed course or purpose; ramble: to stray from the main road.
2. to wander; roam: The new puppy strayed from room to room.
3. to go astray; deviate, as from a moral, religious, or philosophical course: to stray from the teachings of the church.
4. to digress or become distracted.
n.
5. a domestic animal found wandering at large or without an owner.
6. any homeless or friendless person or animal.
7. a person or animal that strays: the strays of a flock.
8. strays , Radio. static.
adj.
9. straying or having strayed, as a domestic animal.
10. found or occurring apart from others or as an isolated or casual instance; incidental or occasional.
11. Radio. undesired: stray capacitance.
[ 1250-1300; (v.) ME strayen, aph. var. of ASTRAIEN, ESTRAIEN estraier extravagare to wander out of bounds (see EXTRAVAGANT); (n.) ME, in part deriv. of the v., in part stray, MF estrai, deriv. of estraier ]
Syn. 1. rove, range. 2. meander. 3. err.