▪ I. † aˈstray, v. Obs.
[var. estray (see a- prefix 9), a. OF. estraier, according to P. Meyer, cogn. w. Pr. estraguar:—L. *extrāvagāre, f. extra out of bounds + vagāre to wander. Chiefly found in pa. pple. astraied = OF. estraié: cf. astray adv., estray v., and the aphetic stray.]
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 132 This prest was drunke and goth astraied. 1556 Abp. Parker Psalter cxix. 110 Offend thy law yet will I not: to renne from it astraid. 1584 T. Hudson Judith ii. 352 (D.) They astraid From God their guide, |
▪ II. † aˈstray, n. Obs.
[variant of estray, a. AF. estray, q.v.]
A stray beast; an estray.
| 1440 Promp. Parv. 16 Astray, or a best that goythe astray. |
▪ III. astray, adv. or a.
(əˈstreɪ)
Forms: 3 o strai, 3–4 on stray, 5 on the straye, of stray; 4 astreyey, a-strayey; 4–5 a-stray, 6 astraie, -aye, -aigh, 5– astray.
[Already in 14th c. often written o stray, on stray, of stray, as if f. a prep.1 + stray; but of stray as a separate n. no early instances have been found; so that astray was perhaps orig. the OF. pa. pple. estraié, estrayé, ‘strayed’ (see astray v., and cf. the southern form astrayey, 1380) with -e lost (first in the north), used as a predicative adjective, and thence as an adv., and confused with forms like a-float, a-sleep, a-loft. As adj. the simple stray is now used: cf. alive, live (fish), asquint, squint (eyes).]
1. Out of the right way, away from the proper path, wandering.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6827 Þi faas beist þou findes o strai [v.r. on stray]. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A 1161 When I schulde start in þe strem astraye. 1375 Barbour Bruce xiii. 195 Mony a steid Fleand on stray. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3730 Rennyngge a-streyey þar on þe waye. Ibid. 5532 Ynowe [stedes] þay founde withoute gon, A-strayey on þe grene. a 1400 Chester Pl. 63 Loke and tell, and yf thou maye, Starres standinge one the straye. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xl, Opon a startand stede he strikes oute of stray. c 1450 Merlin x. 158 And saugh an horse go a-stray. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 358 And lead these testie Riuals so astray. 1810 Scott Lady of L. ii. xxvi, Why urge thy chase so far astray? |
2. Away from the right; in or into error or evil.
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxii. 3 They go astraie & speake lyes. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Pref. 4 So ferre gone astraigh from Christe. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 109 Nay, in that you are astray. 1767 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. I. i. 17 One young lady going astray shall subject her relations to..discredit and distress. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. I. vi. 478 Evil counsellors had led him astray. |