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Stray vs Vagrant - What's the difference?

stray | vagrant |

As nouns the difference between stray and vagrant

is that stray is any domestic animal that has an enclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray while vagrant is a person without a home or job.

As adjectives the difference between stray and vagrant

is that stray is having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep while vagrant is moving without certain direction; wandering; erratic; unsettled.

As a verb stray

is to wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.

stray

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any domestic animal that has an enclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray.
  • (figuratively) One who is lost, either literally or metaphorically.
  • The act of wandering or going astray.
  • (historical) An area of common land or place administered for the use of general domestic animals, i.e. "the stray"

    • Related terms

    * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.
  • * Denham
    • Thames among the wanton valleys strays .
  • To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray.
  • (figurative) To wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.
  • * November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, " Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
    • It was a derby that left Manchester United a long way back in Manchester City’s wing-mirrors and, in the worst moments, straying dangerously close to being their own worst enemy.
  • To cause to stray.
  • * 1591 , , V. i. 51:
    • Hath not else his eye / Strayed his affection in unlawful love,

    Synonyms

    * deviate

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep.
  • In the wrong place; misplaced.
    • a stray comma

    Derived terms

    * stray line * stray mark

    References

    Anagrams

    * * *

    vagrant

    English

    (wikipedia vagrant)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person without a home or job.
  • * 2002 , , WIGU: Day two begins
    • Paisley: What smells like dinosaur crap?
    Mother: Your brother wants people to think we’re vagrants .
    Wigu: I stink.
  • A wanderer.
    • Every morning before work, I see that poor vagrant around the neighborhood begging for food.
  • (ornithology) A bird found outside its species’ usual range.

    • Synonyms

    * beggar * down-and-out * drifter * itinerant * tramp * wanderer * vagabond * See also

    Derived terms

    * vagrancy

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Moving without certain direction; wandering; erratic; unsettled.
  • * Prior
    • That beauteous Emma vagrant courses took.
  • * Macaulay
    • While leading this vagrant and miserable life, Johnson fell in love.
  • Wandering from place to place without any settled habitation.
    • a vagrant beggar