Strew v.

Also (now arch. and dial.) strow. Pa. t. and pa. pple. strewed, strowed; pa. pple. also strewn, strown. Forms: α. 1 strewian, streowian, streawian, 3–7 strewe, 6–7 strue, 7 streaw, 6– strew. β. 4 strouwe, 4–7 strowe, 5 strowhe, 6 stroe, pa. t. strouit, 6– strow. γ. 6 stroye, 7 stroy. See also STRAW v.¹ [Com. Teut. weak verb: OE. stręwian, streowian, streawian, corresponds (exc. for differences of conjugation) to OFris. strewa, OS. pa. t. pl. strôidun, streidun (MLG. strôien, streien), MDu. strôien (mod.Du. strooien), OHG. strouwen, strewen (MHG. ströuwen, mod.G. streuen), ON. strá (but MSw. ströa, Sw. strö, Da. strø, are from MLG.), Goth. (*straujan) pa. t. strawida, f. OTeut. root *strau-; the ulterior relations are uncertain, but most scholars assume some kind of connection with the Indogermanic root *ster- (extended *strā-) in L. sternĕre, pa. pple. strātus: see STRATUM.

  The OE. forms representing the orig. Teut. conjugation are: inf. stríeȝan, etc. (see STRAY v.¹) = Goth. straujan, and pa. t. stręwede = Goth. strawida. The original pres.-stem in OE. (as in some other Teut. langs.) was superseded by a new-formation after the pa. t. Owing to the influence of the following w, the umlaut -ę became diphthongized, producing the forms streow-, streaw-. The OE. forms with ę or falling diphthong are represented by the α forms above, while streow- pronounced with a rising diphthong gave rise to the β forms. According to modern usage, the two spellings correspond to the two pronunciations; formerly, the spelling strew was often used where the rhyme was a word like so, and conversely strow rhyming with new etc.

  The rare γ forms stroy(e are app. borrowed from or influenced by Du. strooien.

  The pa. pple. is now most commonly strewn or strown in passive tenses, esp. where there is no distinct reference to an agent; and strewed, strowed in active tenses.]

  1.  trans. To scatter, spread loosely; to scatter (rushes, straw, flowers, etc.) on the ground or floor, or over the surface of something; to sprinkle (something granulated or in powder) over a surface.

  α.  971.  Blickling Hom., 71. Sume naman þa twiʓu of þæm treowum, & streowodan on þone weʓ.

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter, Ps. cxlvii. 16. Cloude als aske spredes [MS. E. strewes] he.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 2195. Meriadok dede floure bring And strewed it bi tvene.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. xxi. 8. Ful muche cumpanye strewiden her clothis in the wey.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xviii. 84. Þai take alde peper and stepez it and strewez apon it spume of siluer.

1592.  Kyd, J. Brewen, 105. Shee powred out a measse for him, and strewed secretly therein part of the poyson.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., II. iv. 61. Not a flower, not a flower sweete, On my blacke coffin let there be strewne [rhyme throwne].

1608.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, IV. iv. IV. Decay, 1153. One gobbet here, another there they streaw.

1656.  J. Smith, Pract. Physick, 128. The powder is strued into the Eye.

1675.  Hannah Woolley, Gentlew. Comp., 140. Strew some Nutmeg thereon.

1773.  Boswell, Johnson, 19 Oct. (Tour Hebrides), Some good hay was strewed at one end of it [sc. the barn], to form a bed for us.

1826.  Art of Brewing (ed. 2), 162. If a few cloves … be strewed over the liquid sulphur.

1841.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxxix. The newspapers which were strewn upon the table.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. v. 38. The roof strewed itself in ruins upon the floor.

  β.  c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 101 [= 207]. I bad hem strowe [v.r. strawe] flouris on myn bed.

1402.  Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 110. The presciouse perlis ȝe strowun to hogges.

1530.  Palsgr., 741/1. I strowe spyces apon meates, or floures apon a place … je surseme.

1551.  Turner, Herbal, I. 5. This herbe … strowene in the bedde,… driueth serpentes awaye.

1584.  Cogan, Haven Health, xc. 81, marg. Damask powder … to stroe among clothes.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 197. A small Altar … on which they strow flesh and flowres.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 428. Sweet Flow’rs are strow’d Beneath his Body.

1727.  Swift, Desire & Possess., 36. Possession kept the beaten Road; And gather’d all his Brother strow’d.

1815.  Byron, Destr. Sennacherib, ii. Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown, That host on the morrow lay wither’d and strown.

1864.  Tennyson, En. Arden, 501. These be palms Whereof the happy people strowing cried ‘Hosanna in the highest!’

1870.  Bryant, Iliad, II. 517. When they had prayed And strown the salted meal.

  absol.  1535.  Coverdale, Matt. xxv. 24. Thou … gatherest where thou hast not strowed. [Ibid. 26 Where I strawed not.]

  b.  with adv., as on, in, about, † abroad, around.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 480/2. Strowyn a-brode, or scateryn, spergo.

c. 1440.  Pallad. on Husb., XII. 589. Strowe on origan.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 461 b, marg. Libelles strowed about in London.

1591.  A. W., Bk. Cookrye, 33. Then strew on sugar vpon it.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., vii. 76. And lavish Nature laughs, and strows her Stores around.

a. 1756.  Eliza Haywood, New Present for Maid (1771), 47. Strew in a little salt and pepper.

1820.  Scott, Monast., viii. Looking at the leaves which lay strewed around.

1870.  Dickens, E. Drood, ii. Their fallen leaves lie strewn thickly about.

  c.  transf. and fig.

1382.  Wyclif, Isa. xiv. 11. Vnder the strouwed shal be a moȝte [Vulg. subter te sternetur tinea].

1535.  Coverdale, Ezek. xx. 23. That I wolde scatre them amonge the Heithen, and strowe them amonge the nacions.

1602.  Chettle, Hoffman, III. (1631), E 1. The cleare moone strowes siluer in our path.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., I. iii. 15. For so I haue strewd it in the common eare, And so it is receiu’d.

1731–8.  Swift, Pol. Conversat., Introd. 23. Excepting a small Number [of cant words] strewed here and there in the Comedies of that Age.

1750.  Gray, Elegy, 83. And many a holy text around she strews.

1823.  B’Ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life, I. vi. 210. The torches were so thinly strewed, that … the procession seemed to be groping its way in the dark.

1837–42.  Tennyson, St. Agnes’ Eve, 28. All heaven bursts her starry floors, And strows her lights below.

1848.  T. Rickman, Styles Archit. Eng., 212. The Tudor flower … profusely strewed over the roofs, &c. of rich late buildings.

  † d.  To spread out to view, display. poet. Obs.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., July, 75. Of Synah can I tell thee more,… But little needes to strow my store, Suffice this hill of our.

  2.  To cover (the ground, a floor, any surface) with something loosely scattered or sprinkled.

13[?].  K. Alis., 1026 (Laud MS.). Of Olyue, & of muge floures Weren ystrewed halle & boures.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XIV. 304. Of wapnys, armyng, and ded men The feld wes haly strewit then.

1382.  Wyclif, Mark xiv. 15. He schal shewe to ȝou a greet souping place strewid [Vulg. cenaculum grande stratum].

1480.  in Berks, Bucks & Oxon Archæol. Jrnl. (1913), Oct., 84. For strewyng the church for ii yeres…, iij s iiii d.

1594.  Chapman, Shadow of N., B iij. My funerall bed, Strewd with the bones and relickes of the dead.

1667.  Milton, P. L., XI. 439. The Inwards and thir Fat, with Incense strew’d.

c. 1770.  Mrs. Glasse, Compl. Confectioner, 11. Strew it with fine powder sugar.

1788.  Cowper, Negro’s Compl., 34. Wild tornadoes, Strewing yonder sea with wrecks.

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxxii. The floor was already strewn with weary sleepers.

1885.  Miss Braddon, Wyllard’s Weird, I. i. 13. He had strewed the carriage with newspapers and magazines.

  β.  13[?].  Coer de L., 3735. Ladyes strowe here boures With rede roses, and lylye flowres.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 633. All the feldis strowit war Of Ingliss men that slayn wes thar.

1426.  Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 14673. Placys ful off old ordure I kan strowhe with Rosshys grene, That ther ys no ffelthe sene.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xviii. 294. All the feilde was strowed full of deed men and horse.

1530.  Palsgr., 741/1. Strowe al your chamber with carpettes agaynst the kyng come.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 389. All the ground With shiverd armour strow’n.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, VI. 1225. Let me with Fun’ral Flowers his Body strow.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 44, ¶ 5. It is indeed very odd, to see our Stage strowed with Carcases in the last Scene of a Tragedy.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xi. III. 62. The mightiest enemy that had threatened our island since the Hebrides were strown with the wrecks of the Armada.

1859.  Tennyson, Enid, 874. The marble threshold … strown With gold and scatter’d coinage.

  γ.  1647.  Hexham, I. s.v., Rush, To stroy with rushes, met biesen bestroyen.

  b.  with over.

1540.  Palsgr., Acolastus, II. iii. L j. The soppe made of breade … strowyd ouer wyth harde chese and pepper.

1604.  Marston, Malcontent, II. iv. D 1 b. Indian Eringos, strow’d ouer with the powder of Pearle of America.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 129. O, these I lacke, To make you Garlands of, and my sweet friend, To strew him o’re and ore.

1627.  Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 390. The very floore was strowed over with saffron.

1640.  T. Brugis, Marrow of Physicke, II. 153. Strewe it over with powdered Sugar.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, II. 28. In the course of three days the place was strewn over with the killed.

  c.  transf. and fig.

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 103. The chambre is strowed up and doun With swevenes many thousendfold.

1671.  Milton, P. R., IV. 334. All our Law and Story strew’d With Hymns.

1714.  J. Macky, Journ. Eng. (1724), I. 52. Between those Towns and Newberry the Country is finely strow’d with Gentlemen’s Seats.

18[?].  R. Jebb, Law, in Encycl. Metrop. (1845), II. 703/1. His path, at every turn, has been strewed with multiform difficulties.

1879.  A. R. Wallace, Australasia, xi. 219. The coast is thickly strewn with islands.

  † d.  To strew out: ? to intersperse with. Obs.

1626.  B. Jonson, Staple of N., III. ii. I was bespeaking but a parcell of newes, To strewe out the long meale withall. Ibid. (a. 1637), Underwoods, lxv. I have no portion in them, nor their deale Of newes they get, to strew out the long meale.

  3.  To be spread or scattered upon (a surface).

  α.  1596.  Spenser, Prothal., 40. The snow which doth the top of Pindus strew, Did neuer whiter shew.

a. 1618.  Sylvester, Hymn of Alms, 518. The fresh and fruitfull Deaw, Which every morning Flora’s Buds doth streaw.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, IX. 906. Heaps of spent Arrows fall; and strew the Ground.

1792.  S. Rogers, Pleas. Mem., I. 17. The mouldering gateway strews the grass-grown court.

1816.  Byron, Siege Corinth, xiii. Where thousand sleepers strew’d the strand.

1850.  Hannay, Singleton Fontenoy, III. vii. The latest magazines and novels … strewed the table.

1893.  D. J. Rankin, Zambesi Basin, viii. 135. The boulders that strewed the mountain-side.

  β.  1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VIII. xii. 110. Befor the altaris … The brytnit beistis strowit all the ground.

1587.  Marlowe, 1 Tamb., III. iii. 1313. Their bodies strowe the field.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 302. Thick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks In Vallombrosa.

1733.  Pope, Ess. Man, III. 37. Is thine alone the seed that strows the plain?

1786.  Burns, Raving Winds, 2. Yellow leaves the woodlands strowing.

1880.  W. Watson, Prince’s Quest (1892), 104. The light o’ the stars that strow the Milky-way.

  † b.  Of an individual: To lie dead upon (the ground). poet. Obs.

c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, XIII. 742. Thou, (If thou dar’st stand this lance) the earth before the ships shalt strow.

  4.  a. To spread (a cloth or the like) as a covering. b. To cover (a bed) with a coverlet. c. To make or lay (a bed). rare.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., XIV. 69. Of Osiers [he] spred A thickned hurdle; on whose top, be strow’d A wilde Goats shaggy skin.

1698.  Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 18. A Cott or Bed strewed with a Quilt.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., I. xxxi. Hands unseen thy Couch are strewing.

  5.  To level with the ground, lay low, throw down, prostrate. Also with down. Chiefly poet.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., vii. 194. Shall nothyng here in erth be kend, Bot it shall be strewyd and brend, All waters and the see.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XII. vi. 47. Down strowand eik vnder fut in the plane Diuers etheris ȝit thrawand and half slane.

1621.  Brathwait, Time’s Curtain Drawn, B 1. Yet would that God of hosts, thy power confound, And strow thy slaughters corps vpon the ground.

a. 1639.  Sir H. Wotton, Parall. Essex & Buckhm. (1641), 12. About sixescore of their two hundred horse [were] strewed upon the Sand.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. ii. 917. He spying Hudibras lye strow’d Upon the ground, like log of Wood.

1785.  Burns, To Mouse, iv. Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It ’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, VI. 26. They mark’d it with the red cross to the fall, And would have strown it, and are fall’n themselves.

  † b.  refl. To spread out one’s limbs. poet. Obs.

1610.  G. Fletcher, Christ’s Vict., II. ii. Soone did the Ladie to her Graces crie, And on their wings her selfe did nimbly strowe.

  6.  To level, calm (stormy waves); to allay (a storm). poet. Cf. L. sternere aequor.

1594.  Lodge & Greene, Looking Glasse Lond. (1598), A 4.

1875.  Tennyson, Q. Mary, I. v. God lay the waves and strow the storms at sea…! Ibid. (1884), Freedom, ix. How long thine ever-growing mind Hath still’d the blast and strown the wave.

  Hence Strewed, Strewn ppl. adjs.

  Chiefly in comb. as heath-strewed, leaf-strewn.

1603.  E. Fairfax, Eclogue, IV. 1, in Mrs. Cooper, Muses Libr. (1737), I. 364. The rough and Heath-strewed Wilderness.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, XI. 98. The Body on this rural Hearse is born, Strewd Leaves and Funeral Greens the Bier adorn.

1730–46.  Thomson, Autumn, 955. These now the lonesome Muse, Low-whispering, lead into their leaf-strown walks.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. III. v. Monsieur … is met with vivats and strewed flowers.

1847.  Disraeli, Tancred, IV. iv. The twilight descended over the rocky city,… and its strewn remains of palaces and theatres.

1890.  ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Miner’s Right, xliv. Endless flower-strewn plains.