To Stray
To Get Separated
intransitive verb, ichidan verb
This is the intransitive form of 逸らす (to turn away), meaning it doesn't take a direct object. 逸れる is like when something turns off from the normal course of things, so it means to stray. A conversation straying from the main topic, a car that strays from the main road, or your focus straying in a moment of distraction — all of these work with 逸れる.
In other situations, it can mean to get separated, like when you get separated from your friends in a crowd.
To remember this is intransitive, just imagine that it's rare (れる) for you to stray and wander off, whether on the road or in conversation.
Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. The two kun'yomi readings have difference nuances, so here's a mnemonic to help you with those:
In conversation you always seem to stray from the point and talk about soap (そ). You just love soap — the scents, the bubbles, the cleanliness. The one thing you never stray from is… straying from the topic just to bring up soap.
And because you're lost in thoughts about suds all the time, you tend to get separated from your friends whenever you're out together. When they finally come find you, they give you a big hug (はぐ). It's only natural to give someone a hug after you've been separated a while, right?
すぐ話が脇道へ逸れてしまう。
The conversation quickly digressed.