51Թ

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View synonyms for

stray

[strey]

verb (used without object)

  1. to deviate from the direct course, leave the proper place, or go beyond the proper limits, especially without a fixed course or purpose.

    to stray from the main road.

    Synonyms: ,
  2. to wander; roam.

    I strayed through the maze of the forest.

    Synonyms: ,
  3. to go astray; deviate, as from a moral, religious, or philosophical course.

    to stray from the teachings of the church.

    Synonyms:
  4. to digress or become distracted.

    to stray from the main topic.



noun

  1. a domestic animal found wandering at large or without an owner.

    The humane society traps strays, spays or neuters them, and returns them to the feral colony in which they were found.

  2. any person or animal who is homeless or friendless.

    For a popular girl, she has the oddest misfit friends—her mom says she just can’t help but collect strays.

  3. a person or animal that strays.

    the strays of a flock.

  4. Radio.strays, static.

adjective

  1. straying or having strayed, as a domestic animal.

  2. found or occurring apart from others or as an isolated or casual instance; incidental or occasional.

  3. Radio.undesired.

    stray capacitance.

stray

/ ٰɪ /

verb

  1. to wander away, as from the correct path or from a given area

  2. to wander haphazardly

  3. to digress from the point, lose concentration, etc

  4. to deviate from certain moral standards

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

    1. a domestic animal, fowl, etc, that has wandered away from its place of keeping and is lost

    2. ( as modifier )

      stray dogs

  1. a lost or homeless person, esp a child

    waifs and strays

  2. an isolated or random occurrence, specimen, etc, that is out of place or outside the usual pattern

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. scattered, random, or haphazard

    a stray bullet grazed his thigh

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • strayer noun
  • unstraying adjective
  • ˈٰ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of stray1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb straien, strayen, from Old French estraier, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ٰ屹 “to wander out of bounds”; extravagant
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of stray1

C14: from Old French estraier, from Vulgar Latin ٰ (unattested), from Latin ٰ- outside + to roam; see astray , extravagant , stravaig
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I also checked back in with Jessica Davis, who runs Boomer’s Buddies, a Malibu animal rescue that helped families track down strays that were scattered by the Palisades fires.

From

Hazlewood strayed on to his pads and Markram effortlessly flicked the ball square for four before he took off his helmet to salute the crowd.

From

"I think that his commentary falls very short and very much strays into the territory of inflaming the situation, so I think that he should consider his position," she said.

From

When she refuses, Spears grabs the trimmer and clicks it on: “The extensions are hacked into lifeless scraps … the stray hairs curl on the floor like writhing snakes.”

From

So-called finfluencers can legitimately give financial tips on social media to large audiences, but sometimes this can stray into illegal financial advice.

From

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