Forms: 3 o strai, 3–4 on stray, 5 on the straye, of stray; 4 a-streyey, 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 sb. 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), a-squint, 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. Shaks., 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. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 109. Nay, in that you are astray: ’twere best poung you.
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.
