pasture
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a field covered with grass where animals like cows, sheep, or horses can eat.
n.land covered with grass or other low plants suitable for grazing animals, especially as a managed agricultural resource.
Simple“The farmer moved the sheep to a fresh pasture where the grass was longer.”
In context“The cattle were rotated between different pastures to prevent overgrazing and allow the clover to recover during the summer months.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the land type in general.
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to put animals into a field so they can eat the grass.
v.to place livestock in a pasture for the purpose of feeding on growing herbage.
Simple“In the spring, the horses are pastured in the valley.”
In context“The rancher decided to pasture his prize bulls on the northern slopes, where the soil was richer and the grass more nutrient-dense.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb requiring an object, usually the type of animal being fed.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to eat grass in a field.
v.to graze or feed on growing grass.
Simple“The deer were seen pasturing quietly at the edge of the woods.”
In context“As the sun began to set, the herd continued pasturing across the wide plain, oblivious to the approaching storm.”
UsageUsed intransitively to describe the action of the animal.
Synonyms
“As herders search for water and pasture, they may walk with the animals for almost 12 hours a day in the sun, one Kenyan herder told our team.”
“Bede describes Britain as "an island of the ocean," filled with green—trees, crops, pasture—filigreed with rivers and springs, and stocked with natural resources.”