astraya‧stray /əˈstreɪ/ adverb 
Word Origin
The letter had gone astray in the post. b)if a plan or action goes astray, it goes wrong: The best-laid plans can go astray.2lead somebody astray a)to encourage someone to do bad or illegal things that they would not normally do: The older boys led him astray. b)to make someone believe something that is not true: It’s easy to be led astray by the reports in the papers.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINastray
ExamplesOrigin:
1200-1300 Old French estraié ‘wandering’, from estraier; ➔ STRAY1EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Thesaurus- But their recording finds them in less than top form, and Solti sometimes leads them astray.
- Conversations with Maisie had a habit of going astray like this.
- He says that when burning oak powder it's possible that a spark could have gone astray.
- In catering to the largest possible audience, producers and reporters are led astray from their social and civic responsibilities.
- She said that sensible people weren't led astray by infatuation.
Longman Language Activatorto influence someone in a bad way► lead somebody astray
Collocations to encourage someone to do bad or immoral things that they would not normally do: · They're afraid their son will be led astray by the older boys.· Parents complained that teachers were leading students astray by discussing contraception and abortion in the classroom.
► set a bad example/be a bad example if someone in a position of authority, such as a parent or teacher sets a bad example , they influence others to behave in a bad or immoral way because they themselves behave in a bad or immoral way: · Doctors who smoke set a bad example.set a bad example/be a bad example to: · Not only was it wrong of him to steal from the shop, he was setting a very bad example to his younger brother.be a bad example for/to somebody: · Waters doesn't drink or curse because he doesn't want to be a bad example for young people.
► corrupt to make someone who would not normally behave badly behave in an immoral way, especially by having some influence over them over a long period of time: · The Senate will form a committee to determine if violence on television is corrupting young people.· The prison system does not work because many of the younger offenders are being corrupted by older, long-term prisoners.
► be a bad influence someone who is a bad influence encourages someone else, especially a young person or someone who is easily influenced, to behave in the same bad or immoral way as themselves: · My parents don't want me to be friends with you any more. They think you're a bad influence.be a bad influence on: · Her new boyfriend has been a very bad influence on her.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB► go
Phrases· The problem is sometimes that parts go astray, which makes it impossible to reassemble the file.· I started out to be a physicist, but I soon went astray, seduced by a fascination with the brain.· It could be that fewer of those bright ideas will go astray.· It used live bombs until two went astray in a 1999 practice and killed a civilian guard on the bombing range.· The transactions are secure, so the cash does not go astray or disappear; nor can it be forged easily.· To stop Tootle from going astray, the townspeople get together and conceive ofa clever plan, in which they all participate.· She knew the long list of silver almost by heart and counted it monthly that nothing might go astray.· Just where - and when, and how - had it begun to go astray?
► lead· She said that sensible people weren't led astray by infatuation.· In catering to the largest possible audience, producers and reporters are led astray from their social and civic responsibilities.· Instead he was led astray by the recollection of past triumphs.· We feel sympathy for the hero who is led astray under the influence of his false friend.· Frequently we tend to be led astray by the fanciful language of introspective psychology.· In my opinion Searle, and a great many other people, have been led astray by the computer people.· First, the episode shows how easy it is to be led astray by one's own rhetoric.· It is clear that we should not be led astray by glamorous starlets.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► go astray► lead somebody astray
1go astray a)to be lost or stolen: - The form you mailed must have gone astray.
- The street is filled with teenagers who have gone astray.
- I enclose a copy in case the original has gone astray.
- It could be that fewer of those bright ideas will go astray.
- It wasn't too windy, but windy enough to cause the occasional shot to go astray.
- Perhaps the most famous example of a re-creation gone astray took place in July 1989.
- She knew the long list of silver almost by heart and counted it monthly that nothing might go astray.
- The problem is sometimes that parts go astray, which makes it impossible to reassemble the file.
- To stop Tootle from going astray, the townspeople get together and conceive ofa clever plan, in which they all participate.
- We should not be comforted by allowing ourselves to regard Noam Friedman et al. as disturbed individuals who have gone astray.
- Claudio is the false friend who leads Leonardo astray into drinking and gambling.
- Gardeners shouldn't be led astray by these ideas.
- Parents complained that teachers were leading students astray by discussing contraception and abortion in the classroom.
- Pfeiffer plays a virtuous woman who is led astray.
- They're afraid their son will be led astray by the older boys.
The letter had gone astray in the post. b)if a plan or action goes astray, it goes wrong: The best-laid plans can go astray.2lead somebody astray a)to encourage someone to do bad or illegal things that they would not normally do: The older boys led him astray. b)to make someone believe something that is not true: It’s easy to be led astray by the reports in the papers.