pastar
graze
Definition & meaning
Pastar means to graze: for livestock or other animals to feed on grass or other plants in a field or pasture. It is most often used for animals feeding outdoors.
In some contexts, it can also be used transitively, as in an animal grazing a particular area or a person providing pasture for livestock.
Grammar & Word origin
Pastar is a regular -ar verb. Its present-tense form for yo is pasto , and its past participle is pastado .
It is related to pasto , meaning “pasture” or “animal feed.” Historically, it comes from Latin pastāre, associated with pastus, “food” or “grazing.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- pacer : a close synonym meaning “to graze” or “to feed on grass.” It is often used specifically of animals feeding on pasture.
- apacentar : means to take or lead animals to pasture, or to let them feed there. Unlike pastar, it commonly focuses on the person tending the animals.
- ramonear : means to browse on leaves, shoots, or twigs rather than primarily grazing on grass.
There is no exact antonym. estabular , “to keep livestock in a stable,” and encerrar , “to confine,” can contrast with letting animals graze outdoors.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Las ovejas pastan en el campo cerca del río.verb
The sheep graze in the field near the river.
¿Dejaste que las cabras pastaran libremente esta mañana?verb
Did you let the goats graze freely this morning?
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