bestrew

The story

1. Old English · inherited frombestrēawian
2. Middle English · inherited frombistrewen
3. English todaybestrew

From Middle English bistrewen, from Old English bestrēawian, bestrēowian (“to bestrew, besprinkle”), equivalent to be- + strew. Cognate with Dutch bestrooien (“to sprinkle, bestrew”), German bestreuen (“to sprinkle, cover”), Swedish beströ (“to strew, sprinkle, scatter”).