I.v. n., to wander away, stray, go astray, go the wrong way, lose one's way (rare, but class.).
I. Lit.: “deerrare a patre,” Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 54 (for which aberrare a patre, id. ib. prol. 31): qui in itinere deerravissent, * Cic. Ac. Fragm. ap. Lact. 6, 24; “for which itinere,” Quint. 10, 3, 29: vir gregis ipse caper deerraverat, * Verg. E. 7, 7: “equi deerantes via,” Sen. Hippol. 1070.—
b. Of inanimate subjects, Lucr. 3, 873: “jaculantium ictus deerraturos negant,” Plin. 28, 8, 27, § 100: “si potus cibusve in alienum deerravit tramitem,” id. 11, 37, 66, § 176.—
II. Trop., to err, stray, deviate: “magnopere a vero,” Lucr. 1, 712: “ab eo quod coeperimus exponere,” Auct. Her. 1, 9, 14: “verbis,” Quint. 12, 10, 64: “significatione,” id. 1, 5, 46: “quia sors deerrabat ad parum idoneos,” fell upon improper persons, Tac. A. 13, 29.—Pass. impers.: “ubi semel recto deerratum est,” Vell. 2, 3 fin.—Absol.: “multos enim deerrasse memoria prodidit,” Col. 1, 4, 6; Quint. 11, 2, 32.