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Strew vs Disperse - What's the difference?

strew | disperse |

As verbs the difference between strew and disperse

is that strew is to distribute objects or pieces of something over an area, especially in a random manner while disperse is .

strew

English

Alternative forms

* (l) * (l) (dialectal)

Verb

  • To distribute objects or pieces of something over an area, especially in a random manner.
  • to strew sand over a floor
  • * , Romeo and Juliet , act 5, sc. 3:
  • Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew .
  • * Dryden
  • And strewed his mangled limbs about the field.
  • * Beaconsfield
  • On a principal table a desk was open and many papers strewn about.
  • To cover, or lie upon, by having been scattered.
  • Leaves strewed the ground.
  • * Spenser
  • The snow which does the top of Pindus strew .
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
  • To spread abroad; to disseminate.
  • * Shakespeare
  • She may strew dangerous conjectures.

    Synonyms

    * scatter, sprinkle

    Derived terms

    * strewments * strewnfield

    disperse

    English

    Verb

  • (intransitive) To scatter in different directions
  • The Jews are dispersed among all nations.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xv. 7
  • The lips of the wise disperse knowledge.
  • * Cowper
  • Two lions, in the still, dark night, / A herd of beeves disperse .
  • (intransitive) To break up and disappear; to dissipate
  • (intransitive) To disseminate
  • (physics, transitive, intransitive) To separate rays of light etc. according to wavelength; to refract
  • (intransitive) To distribute throughout
  • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse with the monetary word disburse, despite similarity.

    Anagrams

    * * ----