stray

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

• “The gypsies roamed the woods”
• “roving vagabonds”
• “the wandering Jew”
• “The cattle roam across the prairie”
• “the laborers drift from one town to the next”
• “They rolled from town to town”

wander from a direct course or at random

• “The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her”
• “don”

lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking

• “She always digresses when telling a story”
• “her mind wanders”
• “Don”

not close together in time

• “isolated instances of rebellion”
• “scattered fire”
• “a stray bullet grazed his thigh”

homeless cat