from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sow \Sow\, v. t. [imp. {Sowed}; p. p. {Sown}or {Sowed}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Sowing}.] [OE. sowen, sawen, AS. s[=a]wan; akin to
OFries. s?a, D. zaaijen, OS. & HG. s[=a]jan, G. s[aum]en,
Icel. s[=a], Sw. s[*a], Dan. saae, Goth. saian, Lith.
s[=e]ti, Russ. sieiate, L. serere, sevi. Cf. {Saturday},
{Season}, {Seed}, {Seminary}.]
1. To scatter, as seed, upon the earth; to plant by strewing;
as, to sow wheat. Also used figuratively: To spread
abroad; to propagate. "He would sow some difficulty."
--Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
A sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some
seeds fell by the wayside. --Matt. xiii.
3, 4.
[1913 Webster]
And sow dissension in the hearts of brothers.
--Addison.
[1913 Webster]
2. To scatter seed upon, in, or over; to supply or stock, as
land, with seeds. Also used figuratively: To scatter over;
to besprinkle.
[1913 Webster]
The intellectual faculty is a goodly field, . . .
and it is the worst husbandry in the world to sow it
with trifles. --Sir M. Hale.
[1913 Webster]
[He] sowed with stars the heaven. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
Now morn . . . sowed the earth with orient pearl.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]