Strange, a. [Compar. Stranger; superl. Strangest.]
Etymology: [OE. estrange, F. étrange, fr. L. extraneus that is without, external, foreign, fr. extra on the outside. See Extra, and cf. Estrange, Extraneous.]
1. Belonging to another country; foreign. "To seek strange strands." Chaucer. One of the strange queen's lords. Shak. I do not contemn the knowledge of strange and divers tongues. Ascham.
2. Of or pertaining to others; not one's own; not pertaining to one's self; not domestic. So she, impatient her own faults to see, Turns from herself, and in strange things delights. Sir J. Davies.
3. Not before known, heard, or seen; new. Here is the hand and seal of the duke; you know the character, I doubt not; and the signet is not strange to you. Shak.
4. Not according to the common way; novel; odd; unusual; irregular; extraordinary; unnatural; queer. "He is sick of a strange fever." Shak. Sated at length, erelong I might perceive Strange alteration in me. Milton.
5 more senses
5. Reserved; distant in deportment. Shak. She may be strange and shy at first, but will soon learn to love thee. Hawthorne.
6. Backward; slow. [Obs.] Who, loving the effect, would not be strange In favoring the cause. Beau. & Fl.
7. Not familiar; unaccustomed; inexperienced. In thy fortunes am unlearned and strange. Shak.
Note: Strange is often used as an exclamation. Strange! what extremes should thus preserve the snow High on the Alps, or in deep caves below. Waller. Strange sail (Naut.), an unknown vessel. -- Strange woman (Script.), a harlot. Prov. v. 3. -- To make it strange. (a) To assume ignorance, suspicion, or alarm, concerning it. Shak. (b) To make it a matter of difficulty. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- To make strange, To make one's self strange. (a) To profess ignorance or astonishment. (b) To assume the character of a stranger. Gen. xlii. 7.
Syn. -- Foreign; new; outlandish; wonderful; astonishing; marvelous; unusual; odd; uncommon; irregular; queer; eccentric.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Strange, adv.
Strangely. [Obs.] Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak. Shak.
Strange, v. t.
To alienate; to estrange. [Obs.]
Strange, v. i.
1. To be estranged or alienated. [Obs.]
2. To wonder; to be astonished. [Obs.] Glanvill.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for strange; he lists it under alien, queer, rare.
Where he writes about it:
A strange thing is something hitherto unknown in fact or in cause. — from queer
A singular coincidence is one the happening of which is unusual; a strange coincidence is one the cause of which is hard to explain. — from queer