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”).
- To distribute objects or pieces of something over an area, especially in a random manner.
- to strew sand over a floor
- To cover, or lie upon, by having been scattered.
- Leaves strewed the ground.
- The snow which does the top of Pindus strew.
- Alexander Pope
- Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
- (transitive) To spread abroad; to disseminate.
- She may strew dangerous conjectures.