pasture
B2Neutral to formal. More common in agricultural, rural, or literary contexts; idiomatic use ('put out to pasture') is common in general speech.
Definition
Meaning
A field covered with grass or other plants suitable for grazing animals like cattle, sheep, or horses.
1) The act of grazing livestock on such land. 2) A state of rest, retirement, or being put aside (often in the idiom 'put out to pasture'). 3) Figuratively, a place or situation of peace, nourishment, or easy living.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a mass noun when referring to the land itself ('There is good pasture here'), but can be countable when referring to individual fields ('several pastures'). The verb form means to put animals to graze or to graze itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Spelling is identical. Both use the idiom 'put out to pasture'.
Connotations
Slightly more common in everyday vocabulary in the UK/Ireland due to stronger agricultural tradition in general culture. In the US, it's equally understood but may be associated more specifically with ranch/farming regions.
Frequency
Comparatively low frequency in urban discourse for both, but the noun is standard. The verb is less common than the noun.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] (as in: a pasture)[V] + OBJ (as in: to pasture the cows)[V] (intransitive) (as in: the sheep are pasturing)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “put out to pasture (to retire someone or something, especially due to old age)”
- “greener pastures (a better or more favourable situation, especially a new job)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically in HR/management: 'The company put the old software system out to pasture.'
Academic
Used in agricultural, environmental, and historical studies: 'The impact of rotational pasture on topsoil quality.'
Everyday
Mainly in the idioms: 'He was put out to pasture at 65' or 'looking for greener pastures.' Direct reference when discussing countryside.
Technical
In agriculture/zoology: 'mixed-species pasture,' 'pasture management,' 'pasture yield.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We pasture the sheep on the lower fields in spring.
- The herd was pasturing quietly by the stream.
American English
- They pasture their cattle on federal land.
- The horses are pasturing in the north acre.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Pasturewards' is archaic/poetic.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- Pasture management is crucial for dairy farmers.
- The pasture gate was left open.
American English
- Pasture-raised beef is popular here.
- We need new pasture fencing.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cows are in the pasture.
- There is green grass in the pasture.
- The farmer moved the sheep to a new pasture.
- They put the old horse out to pasture.
- After years in the city, she longed for the peaceful life of rolling pastures.
- Many employees seek greener pastures when they feel undervalued.
- The study compared the biodiversity of intensively managed pasture with that of traditional meadowland.
- His innovative ideas were eventually put out to pasture by the conservative board.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PAST' + 'URE' – Imagine animals spending their days in the PAST, peacefully, in a field that is sURE to have grass.
Conceptual Metaphor
PASTURE IS A SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT/SUSTENANCE; LIFE IS A JOURNEY BETWEEN PASTURES (seeking greener pastures); OBSOLESCENCE IS BEING SENT TO PASTURE (put out to pasture).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'пастбище' (grazing land) – which is correct, but Russian 'пастор' is a pastor (priest), completely unrelated.
- The verb 'to pasture' is 'пасти', but English usage is less frequent than the noun.
- Avoid translating 'greener pastures' literally as 'зеленые пастбища' without the idiomatic sense of 'лучшие возможности'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'pasture' as a direct synonym for any 'field' (a pasture is specifically for grazing).
- Incorrect plural: 'pastures' is correct for multiple fields.
- Confusing spelling with 'pastor' (religious leader).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'greener pastures' primarily refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though less common than the noun. It means 'to put (animals) out to graze in a pasture' or '(of animals) to graze.'
A pasture is land used specifically for grazing domestic animals. A meadow is a field of grass and wildflowers, often not grazed or mown, and is associated more with wildlife and hay.
Not always. While it can imply forced retirement due to being outdated, it can also carry a neutral or positive sense of peaceful, well-earned retirement, especially for animals.
In American English, it's pronounced /ˈpæstʃər/, with a short 'a' sound like in 'cat,' unlike the British /ˈpɑːstʃə(r)/ with a long 'a' like in 'father.'