strew

[ stroo ]
See synonyms for strew on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),strewed, strewn [stroon] /strun/ or strewed, strew·ing.
  1. to let fall in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scatter or sprinkle: to strew seed in a garden bed.

  2. to cover or overspread (a surface, place, etc.) with something scattered or sprinkled: to strew a floor with sawdust.

  1. to be scattered or sprinkled over (a surface): Sawdust strewed the floor.

  2. to spread widely; disseminate: to strew rumors among the troops.

Origin of strew

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English strewen, Old English strewian; cognate with German streuen, Old Norse strā, Gothic straujan; akin to Latin sternere “to spread” (see stratum)

synonym study For strew

1. See sprinkle.

Other words for strew

Opposites for strew

Other words from strew

  • strew·er, noun
  • un·der·strew, verb (used with object), un·der·strewed, un·der·strewn or un·der·strewed, un·der·strew·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for strew

strew

/ (struː) /


verbstrews, strewing, strewed, strewn or strewed
  1. to spread or scatter or be spread or scattered, as over a surface or area

Origin of strew

1
Old English streowian; related to Old Norse strā, Old High German streuwen, Latin struere to spread

Derived forms of strew

  • strewer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012