Emily Dickinson Lexicon

STREW, v.t. [Goth. strawan; Sax. streawian, streowian; G. streuen; D. strooijen; Dan. ströer; Sw. strö; contracted from strægan, which is retained in the Saxon. The Latin has sterno, stravi; the latter is our strew, straw. This verb is written straw, strew, or strow; straw is nearly obsolete, and strew 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. – Spenser. Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain? – Pope.
3. To scatter loosely. And strew'd his mangled limbs about the field. – Dryden.