1.pasture用作名词时意思是“草地”,转化成动词指将牛、羊等牲畜赶到野外,让其吃草,即“放,牧”。
2.pasture可用作及物动词,也可用作不及物动词。用作及物动词时,后接牛、马、羊等名词或代词作宾语。引申可指“退休”。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
Horses are pasturing there.马在那边吃草。
It is a good place for goats to pasture.这是羊吃草的好地方。
This is the place where they used to pasture.这就是他们过去经常放牧的地方。
用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The boy got up very early every morning to pasture cattle.这男孩每天起得很早去放牛。
He always pastured his sheep on the village common.他总是把羊放到公地上吃草。

pasture, feed, graze, nourish
参见feed条。

［词源］＜古法语＜后期拉丁语pastura(饲料)

put out to pasture
使离职; 使退休get rid of; cause to retire
▲put sth out to pasture
It's about time this old sewing machine was put out to pasture.这部旧缝纫机大概到了被淘汰的时候了。
They were so old; they should have been put out to pasture years ago.他们如此年迈,多年前就该叫他们退休了。

Horses are grazing in the pasture.马正在牧场上吃草。
These lands afford good pasture.这些地方有好的牧草。