stray 
2. To wander from the path of truth, duty, or 
rectitude ; turn from the accustomed or pre- 
scribed course ; deviate. 
We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost 
sheep. Book of Common Prayer, General Confession. 
Tom Tushor never permitted his mind to stray out of 
the prescribed University path. 
Thackeray, Henry Esmond, x. 
3. To move about without or as without settled 
purpose or direction. 
My eye, descending from the hill, surveys 
Where Thames among the wanton valleys strays. 
SirJ. Denham, Cooper's Hill, 1. im. 
The Cardinal de Cabasolle strayed with Petrarch about 
his valley in many a wandering discourse. 
/. D'Israeli, Lit Char. Men of Genius, p. 147. 
= Syn. 1. To straggle. 1 and 3. Wander, none, etc. See 
ramble, v. 
II. trans. To cause to stray; mislead; se- 
duce. [Rare.] 
Hath not else his eye 
Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? 
Shale., C. of E., v. 1. 51. 
Stray 1 (stra), a. and n. [Early mod. E. also 
straye, straic; by apheresis from estray, n., as 
well as astray, orig. pp., < F. estratt, estrayi', 
strayed, astray, pp. of estraier, estrayer, stray: 
see stray 1 , v. Cf. estray, n. In defs. II., 3 and 4, 
directly from the verb.] I. a. Having gone 
astray; strayed; wandering; straggling; inci- 
dental. 
Stray beest, that goethe a-stray. Prompt. Pan., p. 478. 
That little apothecary who sold a gtray customer a 
pennyworth of salts. Thackeray, Pendennls, ii. 
II. n. 1. Any domestic animal that has left 
an inclosure or its proper place and company, 
and wanders at large or is lost; an estray. 
Impounded as a stray 
The King of Scots. Shalt., Hen. V., i. 2. 100. 
Hence 2. A person or persons astray; a 
straggler ; a truant. 
Strike up our drums, pursue the scatter'd stray. 
Sha*., 2 Hen. IV., iv. 2. 120. 
There is also a school for strays and truants. 
Harper's May., LXXVIII. 645. 
3. The act of wandering. [Bare.] 
I would not from your love make such a stray, 
To match you where I hate. Shale., Lear, i. 1. 212. 
4. A pasturage for cattle. [Prov. Eng.] 
The eight hundred acres, more or less, in six different 
strays without the walls, belonging to the four ancient 
wards, and on which freemen have exclusive right to de- 
pasture their cattle. Harper's Mag., LXXIX. 843. 
On the stray t, upon stray t, deserting; straggling; scat- 
tering; wandering. 
Lokis well to the listis, that no lede passe ! 
If any stert upon stray, strike hym to dethe ! 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.X 1. 6258. 
Right of stray, the right of pasturing cattle on com- 
mons. Halliwell. 
Stray 2 ! (stra), n. [Early mod. E. also "strayvc, 
streare; < ME. strayve, streyvi; appar. for *strayre, 
streyre, < OF. estraiere, estrayere, estraihcre, 
estrahiere, estraliere, {., estraier, estrayer, m. 
(ML. reflex estraieria, estraeria), usually in pi. 
estraieres, etc., goods left by an alien or bastard 
intestate, and escheated to the king as unowned 
or 'stray,' < estraier, estrayer, adj., straying, 
stray. The word was confused with the re- 
lated noun stray 1 , prop, a straying animal, and 
as a more technical term suffered some varia- 
tion in use.] Property left behind by an alien 
at his death, and escheated to the king in de- 
fault of heirs. 
Somme seruen the kynge, . . . chalengynge hus dettes, 
Of wardes and of wardemotes, wayues and strayuei. 
Piers Plowman (C), i. 92. 
Strayed (strad), p. a. Wandering; astray: as, 
strayed cattle ; a strayed reveler. 
Strayer (stra'er), n. ' [< strayl + -eri.] One 
who or that which strays ; a wanderer. 
stray-line (stra'lin), . 1. In whaling, that part 
of the towline which is in the water when fast 
to a whale. 2. The unmarked part of a log- 
line, next to the chip, which is allowed to run 
off before beginning to count, in order to clear 
the chip from eddies at the stern. The limit of 
the stray-line is indicated by a rag called the 
stray-marl,'. 
Strayling (stra'ling), . [< strayl + -Jingi.] A 
little waif or stray. [Rare.] 
Hardy Asiatic straylinffs, whose seeds have followed the 
grains. Grant Allen, Colin Clout's Calendar, p. 182. 
stret, . A Middle English form of straw 1 . 
Streak 1 (strek), v. i. [< ME. streken, a var. of 
striken, a secondary form of striken (pret. pi. 
and pp. striken), go: see strike, v., and cf. 
stroke}, v. Cf. sneak, ult. < AS. siiican. As 
used in the United States, this verb is com- 
5984 
monly associated with. sVrvflfr-, M.] To run swift- 
ly. [Obsolete or prov. Eng. and IT. S.] 
O'er hill and dale with fury she did dreel ; 
A' roads to her were good and bad alike, 
Nane o' 't she wyl'd, but forward on diil xtreek. 
Jlvgs, Helenore, p. f>G. (Jinun'xnt,.) 
They jest streaked it out through the buttery-door ! 
H. B. Stouv, Oldtown, p. 172. 
Streak 2 (strek), . [< ME. xtrekc, strike, < AS. 
strh'd. a line, stroke (= MD. streke, D. stn-rk 
= MLG. streke, LG. street = OHO. MHG. G. 
xt ri rli, a stroke, line, G. stretch, a stroke, blow, 
etc., = Icel. stryk, strykr, a streak, stroke, = Sw. 
stn-i-k = Dan. nreg, a streak, line, = Goth, strik.i, 
a stroke of a pen ), < slrinin (pp. xtriren), go : see 
strike, and cf. stroke, strake~. The L. striija, a 
swath, furrow, is of diff. origin.] 1. A line, 
band, or stripe of somewhat irregular shape. 
While the fantastic Tulip strives to break 
In two-fold Beauty, and a parted Streak. 
Prim, Solomon, i. 
In dazzling streaks the vivid lightnings play. 
Cowper, Heroism, 1. 18. 
2. In mineral., the line or mark of fine pow- 
der produced when a mineral is scratched, or 
when it is rubbed upon a hard, rough surface, 
as that of unglazed porcelain. The color of the 
streak Is often an important character, particularly in the 
case of minerals having a metallic luster. For example, 
certain massive forms of the iron ores hematite and mag- 
netite resemble each other closely, but are readily dis- 
tinguished by the fact that the former has a red and the 
latter a black streak. 
3. In 2007., a color-mark of considerable length 
for its width, and generally less firm and regu- 
lar than a stripe. See streaked, streaky, and 
compare stripe, 1. 4. Figuratively, a trait; 
a vein; a turn of character or disposition; a 
whim. 
Some Streaks too of Divinity ran, 
Partly of Monk, and partly Puritan. 
Coidey, The Mistress, Wisdom. 
Mrs. Urit t< MI had been churning, and the butter " took 
a contrary etreak," as she expressed It, and refused to 
come. E. Eggletton, The Graysons, xviil. 
5. Naut., same as strake 2 , 6. 6f. A rung of a 
ladder. 
You are not a little beholden to the poor dear soul 
that 's dead, for putting a streak in your ladder, when you 
was on the last step of it. Cumberland, Natural Son, ill. 
7. A short piece of iron, six of which form the 
wheel-tire of a wooden artillery-carriage Ger- 
minal Streak, primitive streak. Same as primitive 
groove (which see, under primitive). Streak of luck, for- 
tunate chance; run of luek. [Colloq., U. 8.] Streak of 
the spear. See speari, 6. To go like a streak (so. of 
lightning), to go very rapidly; rush. (Colloq., U. s.] 
streak 2 (strek), v. t. [< streak^, n.] To put 
a streak upon or in ; break up the surface of 
by one or more streaks. 
Eche a strete was striked & strewed with flonres. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1817. 
The last faint gleams of the sun's low beams 
Had streak'd the gray with red. 
Scott, The Gray Brother. 
streak 3 (strek), r. [Also streek, streik; an un- 
assibilated form of stretch: see stretcli.'] I. 
trans. 1. To stretch; extend. [Obsolete or 
dialectal.] 
As the lion lies before his den, 
Guarding his whelps, and streaks his careless limbs. 
Chapman, Gentleman Usher, v. 1. 
2. To lay out, as a dead body. [Prov. Eng. 
and Scotch.] 
The streikit corpse, till still midnight, 
They waked, but naething hear. 
Young llcnjie (Child's Ballads, II. 302). 
II. intrans. To stretch out ; shoot, as a rocket 
or a shooting-star. 
Fore-god, my lord, haue you beheld the like [a blazing 
star]? 
Look how it streaks! what do you think of it? 
Ueywood, If you Know not Me (Works, ed. 1874, 1. 292). 
Streaked (strekt or stre'ked), a. 1. Striped; 
striate ; having streaks or stripes ; especially, 
having lengthwise streaks, as distinguished 
from crosswise bands, bars, or fascise. 2. 
Confused; ashamed; agitated; alarmed. [Low, 
U. S.] 
But wen it comes to bein' kUled I tell ye I felt streaked 
The fust time 't ever I found out wy baggonets wuz peaked. 
Lowell, Biglow Papers, 1st ser., ii. 
Streaked falcon. See falcon. Streaked gurnard, a 
flsh, Trigla lineata. Streaked sandpiper*. See santt- 
piper. 
streakfield (strek'feld), n. The scuttler, or 
six-striped lizard, Cnemidophorus sexli neatux : 
so called from the swiftness with which it scut- 
tles or streaks across fields. 
streakiness (stre'ki-nes), n. The state or 
quality of being streaked or streaky. 
stream 
Streaking (stre'kinf;). . 
streak; a stripe. 
[< xfmilfl + -ing.'] A 
She . . . striped its pure, celestial white 
With xtri-akini/x <if the murning light. 
J. R. l>rake, The American Flag. 
Streak-stitch (strek'stich), n. A stitch in nee- 
dle-made lace by means of which an open line 
is left in the mat or toiled 
Streaky (stre'ki), a. [< streak'-' + -1/1.] 1. Hav- 
ing streaks; marked with streaks; streaked. 
It differs from striped in that the lines are not accurately 
p-imllcl, nor straight and uniform. 
When streaky sunset faded softly into dusk. 
It. D. Blackmore, Kit and Kitty, xiv. 
Hence 2. Uneven in quality; variable in 
character or excellence: as, his poetry is de- 
cidedly streaky. [Colloq.] 
streal (strel), . [Early mod. E. also strale; < 
ME. 'xtri'l, xti-al, < AS. striel, an arrow, missile, 
= OS. strain = MD. strode, D. straal = MLG. 
strale = OHG. strain, MHG. stn'tlr (> It. strale), 
G. strahl, an arrow, beam of light, = Icel. 
strjat, an arrow, = Sw. str&le = Dan. straale, a 
beam of light, jet of water, flash of lightning, 
= OBulg. striela = Russ. striela, an arrow ; cf. 
fines, strielite, an archer .(see gtrclite).'] 1. An 
arrow. Wright (spelled streale). [Prov. Eng.] 
2t. The pupil of the eye. 
The si nil,' of the eye. pupilla. 
Withals, Diet. (ed. 1608X p. 278. (Narei.) 
stream (strem), . [< ME. strecm, strem, < AS. 
stream = OS. strom =OFries. strain = D. stroom 
= MLG. strom = OHG. stroum, strom, MHG. 
stroum, strum, strain, G. strom = Icel. straiinir 
= Sw. j)an. strom (Goth. not recorded), a stream; 
with initial sir- for orig. sr-, akin to Olr. sruth, 
Ir. srotli, a stream, srnaim, a stream, Buss. 
strum, Lith. srowe, a stream, Gr. pivif, a flowing, 
pevfia, a flowing, a stream, river, etc. (see 
rhc wrol), pv0p6c ; a flowing, rhythm (see rhythm) ; 
< \/ snt = Gr. peciv (for "ape Few), = Skt. j/ sni, 
flow.] 1. A course of running water; a river, 
rivulet, or brook. 
He stod bl the nodes strem. 
Genesis and Exodus (E. E. T. S.), 1. 209. 
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused 
waters to run down like rivers. Ps. Ixxviii. 16. 
As streams their channels deeper wear. 
Burns, To Mary In Heaven. 
2. A steady current in a river or in the sea ; 
especially, the middle or most rapid part of a 
current or tide: as, to row against the stream; 
the Gulf Stream. 
My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream. 
Shak., Othello, ii. 3. 65. 
Row, brothers, row ! the stream runs fast, 
The rapids are near, and the daylight 's past ! 
Moore, Canadian Boat-Song. 
3. A flow; a flowing; that which flows in or 
out, as a liquid or a fluid, air or light. 
Bright was the day, and blew the firmament : 
Phebus hath of gold hise tttreines doun ysent 
To gladen every flour with his warmness. 
Chaucer, Merchant's Tale, 1. 976. 
Forth gusht a stream of gore blood thick. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. I 39. 
A wandering stream of wind, 
Breathed from the west, has caught the expanded sail. 
Shelley, Alastor. 
4. Anything issuing from a source and moving 
or flowing continuously : as, a stream of words ; 
a stream of sand ; a stream of people. 
With never an end to the stream of passing feet. 
Tennyson, Maud, xxviL 1. 
5. A continued course or current ; the course 
or current of affairs or events ; current ; drift. 
Such was the stream of those times that all men gave 
place unto it, which we cannot but impute partly to their 
own oversight. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, v. 42. 
For science, God is simply the stream of tendency by 
which all things fulfil the law of their being. 
M. Arnold, Literature and Dogma, i. 
6. A rift : so called by English anglers. Aom'x. 
Gulf Stream. See gulf. Stream-function of the 
motion of an incompressible fluid in two dimen- 
sions, such a function that the total instantaneous flow 
across any curve, referred to the unit of time, is equal to 
the difference of the values of the stream-function at the 
extremities of the curve Stream of thought, the 
train of ideas which pass successively into present con- 
sciousness, regarded as analogous to a current flowing 
past a point upon the bank. The Stream, the Gulf 
Stream. =Syn. land 2. Stream, Current, Eddy. All rivers 
and brooks are streams, and have currents. An eddy is a 
counter-current, a current contrary to the main direction. 
stream (strem), v. [< ME. stremeti = D. stroo- 
men = Gr. stromen = Icel. streyma = Sw. stromma 
= Dan. stromme; from the noun.] I. intrant. 
1. To move or run in a continuous current; 
flow continuously. See streaming, n., 2. 
Within those banks, where rivers now 
Stream, and perpetual draw their humid train. 
Milton, P. L., vii. 306. 
