estray

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.4 Verb 1.5 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Middle English astrai, from Anglo-Norman estray, from Old French estraier.

[edit] Pronunciation

Trager-Smith: /əstréy/

[edit] Noun

estray (plural estrays)

1. (law) Animal that has escaped from its owner. A legal term, usually defined in common law, as a wandering animal whose owner is unknown. An animal cannot be an estray when on the range where it was raised, and permitted by its owner to run. A lost animal whose owner is known to the party at hand is not an estray.
2. (archaic) Stray.

[edit] Verb

to estray (third-person singular simple present estrays, present participle estraying, simple past and past participle estrayed)

1. (archaic) To stray.

[edit] References

• 2006 - For the purpose of this chapter, “estray” means any unbranded cattle, horses, mules, asses, or sheep found running at large or found trespassing upon the premises of another person, or any branded cattle, horses, mules, asses, or sheep found running at large or trespassing upon the premises of another person whose owner cannot be found after a reasonable search, or any llama, ostrich, emu, goat or swine found running at large or trespassing upon the premises of another person whose owner cannot be found after a reasonable search. - Uintah County, UT County Code, 6.48.010
• 2006 - VRWPA finds good adoptive homes for Estray wild horses picked up by the State of Nevada, monitors the horses, the range, and the laws to insure the survivability of a viable, ecologically balanced herd. - Virginia Range Wildlife Protection Association

See also stray.