Lewis & Short

sub-sterno, strāvi, strātum, 3, v. a., to strew, scatter, spread, or lay under or beneath (class.; cf. subicio).

  1. I. Lit.: segetem ovibus, Cato, R. R. 37, 2: verbenas, Ter. And. 4, 3, 12: casias et nardi lenis aristas, Ov. M. 15, 398; Plin. 20, 14, 56, § 158: folia, id. 20, 21, 84, § 226: semina hordei, Col. 5, 9, 9: fucum marinum, to spread underneath, lay as a ground-color, Plin. 26, 10, 66, § 103 (syn. sublino): se (mulier), to submit, in mal. part., Cat. 64, 403: substratus Numida mortuo Romano, stretched out under, lying under, Liv. 22, 51, 9: pelage late substrata, spread out or extended beneath, Lucr. 6, 619; 4, 411: si forte lacus substratus Averni’st, id. 6, 746; cf.: natura insidians pontum substravit avaris, Prop. 3 (4), 7, 37: pullos, i. e. to furnish them with a couch, Plin. 10, 33, 49, § 93.
    Absol.: male substravisse pecori, Plin. 18, 23, 53, § 194.
    Impers. pass.: pecori diligenter substernatur, Cato, R. R. 37, 2.
    1. B. Transf., to bestrew, spread over, cover any thing: solum paleis, Varr. R. R. 1, 57, 2: gallinae nidos mollissime substernunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129: fundamenta carbonibus, Plin. 36, 14, 21, § 95.
  2. II. Trop., to spread out, submit for examination, acceptance, etc.; to give up, surrender, prostitute: omne concretum atque corporeum animo, Cic. Univ. 8: delicias, Lucr. 2, 22; cf.: pudicitiam alicui, Suet. Aug. 68; Val. Max. 2, 7, 14.