stray
verb /streɪ/
/streɪ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they stray | /streɪ/ /streɪ/ |
| he / she / it strays | /streɪz/ /streɪz/ |
| past simple strayed | /streɪd/ /streɪd/ |
| past participle strayed | /streɪd/ /streɪd/ |
| -ing form straying | /ˈstreɪɪŋ/ /ˈstreɪɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move away from the place where you should be, without intending to
- He strayed into the path of an oncoming car.
- Her eyes kept straying over to the clock on the wall.
- His hand strayed to the telephone.
- He can’t have strayed far.
- I strayed a few blocks in the wrong direction and became hopelessly lost.
Extra Examples- He never strayed far from his home.
- Her eyes strayed involuntarily.
- His eyes strayed to the telephone.
- The animals hadn't strayed too far.
- new penalties for owners who allow their dogs to stray
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- far
- never
- rarely
- …
- allow something to
- from
- into
- off
- …
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to begin to think about or discuss a different subject from the one you should be thinking about or discussing
- My mind kept straying back to our last talk together.
- We seem to be straying from the main theme of the debate.
- The conversation had begun to stray into dangerous territory.
Extra Examples- Her thoughts strayed to the journey ahead of her.
- The teachers rarely stray away from the approved textbook.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- far
- never
- rarely
- …
- allow something to
- from
- into
- off
- …
- [intransitive] (of a person who is married or in a relationship) to have a sexual relationship with somebody who is not your usual partner
- It had never occurred to her that her husband might stray while he was away on business.
Word OriginMiddle English: shortening of Anglo-Norman French and Old French estrayer (verb), Anglo-Norman French strey (noun), partly from astray.