1. \Stran"ger\, n. [OF. estrangier, F. ['e]tranger. 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) 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.
   
   

2. \Stran"ger\, v. t.
   To estrange; to alienate. [Obs.] --Shak.
   
   

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 (Deut. 23:3; 24:14-21; 25:5; 26:10-13). A special signification is also sometimes attached to this word. In Gen. 23:4 it denotes one resident in a foreign land; Ex. 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Num. 3:10, one who is not of the family of Aaron; Ps. 69:8, an alien or an unknown person. The Jews were allowed to purchase strangers as slaves (Lev. 25:44, 45), and to take usury from them (Deut. 23:20).