The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Straw \Straw\, v. t.
   To spread or scatter. See Strew, and Strow. --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Straw \Straw\, n. [OE. straw, stre, stree, AS. stre['a]w, from
   the root of E. strew; akin to OFries. str[=e], D. stroo, G.
   stroh, OHG. str[=o], Icel. str[=a], Dan. straa, Sw. str[*a].
   [root]166. See Strew.]
   1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc.,
      especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of
      buckwheat, beans, and pease.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of
      grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing;
      a mere trifle.
      [1913 Webster]

            I set not a straw by thy dreamings.   --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: Straw is often used in the formation of self-explaining
         compounds; as, straw-built, straw-crowned,
         straw-roofed, straw-stuffed, and the like.
         [1913 Webster]

   Man of straw, an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of
      a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an
      irresponsible person; a puppet.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

straw
    adj 1: of a pale yellow color like straw; straw-colored
    n 1: plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as
         fodder
    2: material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of
       stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds [syn:
       chaff, husk, shuck, stalk, straw, stubble]
    3: a variable yellow tint; dull yellow, often diluted with white
       [syn: pale yellow, straw, wheat]
    4: a thin paper or plastic tube used to suck liquids into the
       mouth [syn: straw, drinking straw]
    v 1: cover or provide with or as if with straw; "cows were
         strawed to weather the snowstorm"
    2: spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic); "strew toys all
       over the carpet" [syn: strew, straw]