Strew

Pronunciation

• IPA: /struː/
• Rhymes: -uː

Alternative forms

• strow
• straw dialectal

Origin

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").

Full definition of strew

Verb

1. To distribute objects or pieces of something over an area, especially in a random manner.to strew sand over a floor
• circa 1595 William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, act 5, sc. 3:Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew.
• DrydenAnd strewed his mangled limbs about the field.
• BeaconsfieldOn 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.
• SpenserThe snow which does the top of Pindus strew.
• Alexander PopeIs thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
3. (transitive) To spread abroad; to disseminate.
• ShakespeareShe may strew dangerous conjectures.

Synonyms

• scatter, sprinkle

Derived terms

• strewments
• strewnfield

Related terms

• strain

Anagrams

• trews, werst, wrest