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Webster 1913 Edition

Strew

Strew

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Strewed
;
p. p.
strewn
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Strewing
.]
[OE.
strewen
,
strawen
, AS.
strewian
,
streówian
; akin to Ofries.
strewa
, OS.
strewian
, D.
strooijen
, G.
streuen
, OHG.
strewen
, Icel.
strā
, Sw.
strö
, Dan.
ströe
, Goth.
straujan
, L.
sternere
,
stratum
, Gr. [GREEK], [GREEK], Skr.
st[GREEK]
. √166. Cf.
Stratum
,
Straw
,
Street
.]
1.
To scatter; to spread by scattering; to cast or to throw loosely apart; – used of solids, separated or separable into parts or particles;
as, to
strew
seed in beds; to
strew
sand on or over a floor; to
strew
flowers over a grave.
And
strewed
his mangled limbs about the field.
Dryden.
On a principal table a desk was open and many papers [were]
strewn
about.
Beaconsfield.
2.
To cover more or less thickly by scattering something over or upon; to cover, or lie upon, by having been scattered;
as, they
strewed
the ground with leaves; leaves
strewed
the ground.
The snow which does the top of Pindus
strew
.
Spenser.
Is thine alone the seed that
strews
the plain?
Pope.
3.
To spread abroad; to disseminate.
She may
strew
dangerous conjectures.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Strew

STREW

,
Verb.
T.
[This verb is written straw, strew, or strow; straw is nearly obsolete, and strow is obsolescent. Strew is generally used.]
1.
To scatter; to spread by scattering; always applied to dry substances separable into parts or particles; as, to strew seed in beds; to strew sand on or over a floor; to strew flowers over a grave.
2.
To spread by being scattered over.
The snow which does the top of Pindus strew.
Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
3.
To scatter loosely.
And strewd his mangled limbs about the field.

Definition 2024

strew

strew

English

Alternative forms

Verb

strew ‎(third-person singular simple present strews, present participle strewing, simple past strewed, past participle strewn or strewed)

  1. To distribute objects or pieces of something over an area, especially in a random manner.
    to strew sand over a floor
    • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 5, scene 3:
      Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew.
    • Dryden
      And strewed his mangled limbs about the field.
    • Beaconsfield
      On a principal table a desk was open and many papers strewn about.
  2. To cover, or lie upon, by having been scattered.
    Leaves strewed the ground.
    • Spenser
      The snow which does the top of Pindus strew.
    • Alexander Pope
      Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
  3. (transitive) To spread abroad; to disseminate.
    • Shakespeare
      She may strew dangerous conjectures.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English strewen, strawen, streowen, from Old English strewian, strēawian, strēowian ‎(“to strew, scatter”), from Proto-Germanic *strawjaną ‎(“to strew”), from Proto-Indo-European *strew- ‎(“to spread, scatter”). Cognate with Scots strow, straw ‎(“to strew”), West Frisian streauwe ‎(“to strew”), Dutch strooien ‎(“to strew, scatter, sprinkle”), German streuen ‎(“to strew, scatter”), Swedish strö ‎(“to strew”), Icelandic strá ‎(“to strew”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /struː/
  • Rhymes: -uː

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