Category:Stranger

Stran"ger, n. Etym: [of. estrangier, f. étranger. See strange.]

1. One who is strange, foreign, or unknown. Specifically: -- (a) one who comes from a foreign land; a foreigner. I am a most poor woman and a stranger, born out of your dominions. Shak.

(b) one whose home is at a distance from the place where he is, but In the same country. (c) one who is unknown or unacquainted; as, the gentleman is a Stranger to me; hence, one not admitted to communication, fellowship, Or acquaintance. Melons on beds of ice are taught to bear, and strangers to the sun Yet ripen here. Granville. My child is yet a stranger in the world. Shak. I was no stranger to the original. Dryden.

2. One not belonging to the family or household; a guest; a visitor. To honor and receive our heavenly stranger. Milton.

3. (law)

Defn: one not privy or party an act, contract, or title; a mere Intruder or intermeddler; one who interferes without right; as, Actual possession of land gives a good title against a stranger Having no title; as to strangers, a mortgage is considered merely as A pledge; a mere stranger to the levy.

Stranger Stran"ger, v. t.

Defn: to estrange; to alienate. [obs.] Shak.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Stranger - This word generally denotes a person from a foreign land residing in Palestine. Such persons enjoyed many privileges in common with the Jews, but still were separate from them. The relation of the Jews to strangers was regulated by special laws (Deuteronomy 23:3; Deuteronomy 24:14; Deuteronomy 25:5; Deuteronomy 26:10). A special signification is also sometimes attached to this word. In Genesis 23:4 it denotes one resident in a foreign land; Exodus 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Numbers 3:10, one who is not of the family of Aaron; Psalms 69:8, an alien or an unknown person. The Jews were allowed to purchase strangers as slaves (Leviticus 25:44, Leviticus 25:45), and to take usury from them (Deuteronomy 23:20).