pasture
gb/pˈæst͡ʃɚ/ us/pˈæst͡ʃɚ/
B1
English
~ 7100
legelő, legelnivaló, legeltet, jobb lehetőségek, új lehetőségek
NOUN
B1
1
legelő
B1
The cows spend most of the summer in the upper pasture.
A tehenek a nyár nagy részét a felső legelőn töltik.
After the rain, the pastures turned a deep green and the sheep spread out to graze.
Az eső után a legelők mélyzöldek lettek, és a juhok szétszéledtek legelni.
Much of the valley is open pasture bordered by low stone walls.
Farmers here move their cattle from one pasture to another to protect the grass.
The new road cuts straight through what used to be common pasture.
Learner examples
The horses are in the pasture behind the house.
A lovak a ház mögötti legelőn vannak.
In spring, the farmer opens the gate to the big pasture.
Tavasszal a gazda kinyitja a nagy legelő kapuját.
She walked across the pasture to check the sheep.
There is a small river that runs through the pasture.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "pasture" for any kind of field. A pasture is specifically land with grass used for animals to eat, not a field with crops like corn or wheat. Another common confusion is between "pasture" (land for animals) and "pastor" (a religious leader).
Meaning
land where animals graze
Collocations
pasture land
|open pasture
|sheep pasture
|summer pasture
|high mountain pasture
|rotational pasture
Synonyms
grazing land (More technical-sounding; clearly focuses on land used for animals to feed.)
|
meadow (Often suggests a natural or sometimes flower-filled grass field; not always used for animals.)
Antonyms
desert (A dry, mostly plantless area of land where grazing animals cannot feed.)
Themes
farming
|nature
|animals
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Land with grass where farm animals eat and walk.
Land covered mainly with grass and other low plants that is used as feeding ground for grazing animals such as cows, sheep, or horses.
NOUN
B2
2
legelnivaló
B2
Recent rains have produced plenty of fresh pasture for the cattle.
A legutóbbi esők után bőven nőtt friss legelnivaló a marháknak.
The sheep quickly ate down the pasture and had to be moved to another field.
A juhok hamar lelegelték a legelnivalót, ezért át kellett hajtani őket egy másik mezőre.
By late summer the pasture was so dry that the farmer had to buy extra feed.
High-quality pasture can reduce the cost of dairy production.
In winter, natural pasture is scarce so farmers rely on hay.
Learner examples
There is not enough pasture for all the cows this year.
Idén nincs elég legelnivaló az összes tehénnek.
After the storm, the pasture was too wet for the animals to eat.
A vihar után túl vizes volt a legelnivaló ahhoz, hogy az állatok egyenek belőle.
The farmer wants better pasture so the sheep can grow well.
Good pasture is important for healthy animals.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "pasture" always means the land only. In farming contexts, it can also mean the grass itself as food for animals. Context like "good pasture for the cows" usually refers to the grass quality.
Meaning
grass used as animal feed
Collocations
good pasture
|poor pasture
|fresh pasture
|winter pasture
|rich pasture
|dry pasture
Synonyms
forage (More technical; includes any plant material animals eat, not only grass growing in a field.)
|
grazing (Focuses on the act of eating the grass rather than the grass itself, but often used to mean available grass as food.)
Antonyms
fodder (Not a true opposite, but often contrasts with fresh pasture by referring to stored or prepared animal feed such as hay or grain.)
Themes
farming
|food
|animals
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The grass in a field that animals, like cows and sheep, eat as food.
The grass and other low plants growing in a field that farm animals feed on.
VERB
B2
3
legeltet
B1
Usage pattern:
to pasture [animals] on [land]
They pasture their cattle on the hillside during the summer months.
A nyári hónapokban a domboldalon legeltetik a marháikat.
The farmer used to pasture sheep here, but now the land is planted with vines.
A gazda régen juhokat legeltetett itt, de ma már szőlővel van beültetve a terület.
Horses are pastured separately to prevent fighting.
Too many animals were pastured on the same field, damaging the soil.
Local rules limit how many cows can be pastured on each hectare.
Learner examples
The family pastures their goats on the hill every day.
A család mindennap a dombon legelteti a kecskéit.
He pastures his cows near the river in summer.
Nyáron a folyó közelében legelteti a teheneit.
They do not pasture animals on this land in winter.
We pasture the sheep on fresh grass each week.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use "pasture" like a regular everyday verb for animals, saying things like "The cows are pasturing" when simply "The cows are grazing" or "The cows are in the pasture" is more natural. "Pasture" as a verb is mainly used for what farmers do with animals.
Meaning
put animals to graze on land
Collocations
pasture cattle
|pasture sheep
|pasture animals on [land]
|heavily pastured land
|pasture livestock
Synonyms
graze (Often intransitive for animals themselves; "pasture" usually focuses on what the farmer does with the animals.)
|
range (Used especially in American English for animals roaming over large open land; less about deliberate placement.)
Antonyms
confine (Means to keep animals inside a small space or building instead of out on grass.)
Themes
farming
|animals
|work
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To keep animals on land with grass so they can eat it.
To put or keep farm animals on an area of land so that they can feed on the grass and other plants growing there.
NOUN
B2
4
Usage pattern:
to move on to [new/greener] pastures
After ten years with the company, she left for greener pastures in the tech industry.
Tíz év után otthagyta a céget, és jobb lehetőségek reményében a technológiai szektorban folytatta.
Many young people are seeking new pastures abroad.
Sok fiatal külföldön keres új lehetőségeket.
He decided it was time to move on to new pastures and start his own business.
The club’s top players soon left for pastures new.
Graduates often view the big cities as greener pastures compared to their hometowns.
Learner examples
She left her job and moved to greener pastures in another city.
Otthagyta az állását, és egy másik városba költözött jobb lehetőségek reményében.
After many years in one company, he wanted new pastures.
Sok, ugyanannál a cégnél eltöltött év után új lehetőségekre vágyott.
Some students go to pastures new when they finish school.
They are looking for greener pastures in another country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes translate this phrase directly and say things like "I want a greener pasture" without context. In English it is most natural in set phrases such as "move on to greener pastures" or "seek new pastures" and usually in plural "pastures".
Meaning
a better place or opportunity
Collocations
new pastures
|greener pastures
|move on to new pastures
|seek greener pastures
|look for new pastures
Synonyms
new opportunity (More general and direct; lacks the image of leaving one place or job for a supposedly better one.)
|
fresh start (Emphasizes beginning again rather than specifically going somewhere better.)
Antonyms
dead end (Describes a situation or job with no future opportunities, the opposite of attractive new pastures.)
Themes
work
|life
|change
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A new place or job that seems better than the one you have now, especially in the phrase "new pastures" or "greener pastures".
A new place, situation, job, or area of activity that is thought to offer better conditions or opportunities than the current one, especially in the phrase "new/greener pastures".
Grammar
Dictionary form
pasture
IPA
GB/pˈæst͡ʃɚ/
US/pˈæst͡ʃɚ/
Syllables & stress
pas - ture (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pas)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pasture
- Plural: pasture, pastures
Verb
- Base: pasture
- 3rd Person Singular: pastures
- Present Participle: pasturing
- Past: pastured
Word family
Forms
pastures
noun
pasturing
verb
pastured
verb
Related words
pastoral
adjective C1
pastureland
noun
Advanced or less common
pasturage
noun
pastoralism
noun
pastoralist
noun
Expressions
greener pastures
1/ɡɹˈinɚ pˈæst͡ʃɚz/
idiom
a supposedly better situation
A different job, place, or life that seems better than what you have now.
Examples
- She left the small firm for greener pastures at a multinational company.
- Many young graduates head to the capital city in search of greener pastures.
pastures new
1/pˈæst͡ʃɚz njˈu/
idiom
literary
new and different opportunities
New places or new things to do that are different or better than what you have now.
Examples
- After twenty years in the same town, they were ready for pastures new.
- The singer left the band for pastures new in a solo career.
put out to pasture
1/pˈʊt ˈaʊt tə pˈæst͡ʃɚ/
idiom
informal
force someone into retirement
To make a person stop working or to stop using something because it is seen as old or not useful anymore.
Examples
- After the reorganization, several senior managers were quietly put out to pasture.
- Many fear that new automation will put older workers out to pasture before they are ready.