Stray, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Strayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Straying.]
Etymology: [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. Thames among the wanton valleys strays. Denham.
2. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray. Now, until the break of day, Through this house each fairy stray. Shak. A sheep doth very often stray. Shak.
3. Figuratively, to wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err. We have erred and strayed from thy ways. While meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray. Cowper.
Syn. -- To deviate; err; swerve; rove; roam; wander.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Stray, v. t.
To cause to stray. [Obs.] Shak.
Stray, a.
Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a strayhorse or sheep. 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.
Stray, 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. Seeing him wander about, I took him up for a stray. Dryden.
2. The act of wandering or going astray. [R.] Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for stray; he lists it under wander.
Where he writes about it:
To stray is to go in a somewhat purposeless way aside from the regular path or usual limits or abode, usually with unfavorable implication; cattle stray from their pastures; an author strays from his subject; one strays from the path of virtue. — from wander
Stray is in most uses a lighter word than wander. — from wander