stray

n. (Law) Any valuable animal, not wild, found wandering from its owner; a stray. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. OF. estraié, p. p. of estraier. See Stray, v. i., and cf. Astray, Estray. ] Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a strayhorse or sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stray line (Naut.), that portion of the log line which is veered from the reel to allow the chip to get clear of the stern eddies before the glass is turned. --
Stray mark (Naut.), the mark indicating the end of the stray line. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Any domestic animal that has an inclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray. Used also figuratively. [ 1913 Webster ]

Seeing him wander about, I took him up for a stray. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of wandering or going astray. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to stray. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Strayed p. pr. & vb. n. Straying. ] [ OF. estraier, estraer, to stray, or as adj., stray, fr. (assumed) L. stratarius roving the streets, fr. L. strata (sc. via) a paved road. See Street, and Stray, a. ] 1. To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thames among the wanton valleys strays. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sheep doth very often stray. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Figuratively, to wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err. [ 1913 Webster ]

We have erred and strayed from thy ways. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

While meaner things, whom instinct leads,
Are rarely known to stray. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To deviate; err; swerve; rove; roam; wander. [ 1913 Webster ]