stray

plural strays

1. Any domestic animal that lacks an enclosure, proper place, or company, but that instead wanders at large or is lost; an estray.
2. figurativelyliterallyA 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

3. An act of wandering off or going astray.
4. historicalAn area of common land for use by domestic animals.
5. UKarchaiclawAn article of movable property, of which the owner is not known (see waif).

   waifs and strays

6. broadcastingAn instance of atmospheric interference.

   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

   2 more examples

   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

7. slangA casual or offhand insult.
8. BDSMA submissive that has not committed to submit to any particular dominant, particulary in petplay.

   Antonyms: collared

9. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of stray bullet.

   catch a stray

   1 more example

   Hit by a stray, but I pray that there's a hood in heaven

   1993, “Just Another Day”, in Black Reign, performed by Queen Latifah

present singular third person strays · participle present straying · participle past strayed · past strayed

1. intransitiveTo 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

2. intransitiveTo wander from company or outside proper limits; to rove or roam at large; to go astray.
3. intransitiveTo wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.

   1 more example

   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.

4. transitiveTo cause to stray; lead astray.

   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

   1 more example

   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

comparative more stray · comparative strayer · superlative most stray · superlative strayest

1. Having gone astray; strayed; wandering.

   The alley is full of stray cats rummaging through the garbage.

   1 more example

   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

2. In the wrong place; misplaced.

   a stray comma

   1 more example

   a stray bullet