n. 1. a. A tract of land that supports grass or other vegetation eaten by domestic grazing animals. b. Such vegetation, especially that eaten by domestic grazing animals. 2. The feeding or grazing of animals. v. pas·tured, pas·tur·ing, pas·tures v.tr. 1. To herd (animals) into a pasture to graze. 2. To provide (animals) with pasturage. Used of land. 3. a. To graze on (land or vegetation). b. To use (land) as pasture. v.intr. Idiom: To graze in a pasture. put out to pasture 1. To herd (grazing animals) into pasturable land. 2. Informal To retire or compel to retire from work or a full workload. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin pāstūra, from Latin pāstus, past participle of pāscere, to feed; see pā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pastur·a·ble adj. pastur·er n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.