pastoral

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: pas=to=ral

CIDE DICTIONARY

pastoral, a. [L. pastoralis: cf. F. pastoral. See Pastor.].

•  Of or pertaining to shepherds; hence, relating to rural life and scenes; as, a pastoral life.  [1913 Webster]
•  Relating to the care of souls, or to the pastor of a church; as, pastoral duties; a pastoral letter.  [1913 Webster]

Pastoral staff (Eccl.), a staff, usually of the form of a shepherd's crook, borne as an official emblem by a bishop, abbot, abbess, or other prelate privileged to carry it. See Crook, and Crosier. -- Pastoral Theology, that part of theology which treats of the duties of pastors.

pastoral, n. 

•  A poem describing the life and manners of shepherds; a poem in which the speakers assume the character of shepherds; an idyl; a bucolic.  [1913 Webster]

  "A pastoral is a poem in which any action or passion is represented by its effects on a country life."  [1913 Webster]
•  A cantata relating to rural life; a composition for instruments characterized by simplicity and sweetness; a lyrical composition the subject of which is taken from rural life.  Moore (Encyc. of Music).  [1913 Webster]
•  A letter of a pastor to his charge; specifically, a letter addressed by a bishop to his diocese; also (Prot. Epis. Ch.), a letter of the House of Bishops, to be read in each parish.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pastoral, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 of, relating to, or associated with shepherds or flocks and herds.
2 (of land) used for pasture.
3 (of a poem, picture, etc.) portraying country life, usu. in a romantic or idealized form.
4 of or appropriate to a pastor.
--n.
1 a pastoral poem, play, picture, etc.
2 a letter from a pastor (esp. a bishop) to the clergy or people.

Idiom

pastoral staff a bishop's crosier. pastoral theology that considering religious truth in relation to spiritual needs.

Derivative

pastoralism n. pastorality n. pastorally adv.

Etymology

ME f. L pastoralis (as PASTOR)

THESAURUS

pastoral

Alcaic, Anacreontic, Arcadian, Castalian, Edenic, English sonnet, Grand Guignol, Homeric, Horatian ode, Hudibrastic, Italian sonnet, Passion play, Petrarchan sonnet, Pierian, Pindaric, Pindaric ode, Sapphic ode, Shakespearean sonnet, Theocritean, Tom show, abbatial, abbatical, agrarian, agrestic, agricultural, airscape, alba, anacreontic, antimasque, arcadian, archiepiscopal, at peace, audience success, balada, ballad, ballade, ballet, bardic, bloodless, bomb, broadcast drama, bucolic, burlesque show, calm, campestral, canonical, canso, capitular, capitulary, chanson, charade, churchly, cityscape, clerical, clerihew, cliff hanger, closet drama, cloudscape, comedy drama, concordant, countrified, country, critical success, daytime serial, dialogue, didactic, diorama, dirge, dithyramb, dithyrambic, documentary drama, drama, dramalogue, dramatic, dramatic play, dramatic series, duodrama, duologue, ecclesiastic, ecclesiastical, eclogic, eclogue, elegiac, elegy, epic, epic theater, epigram, episcopal, episcopalian, epithalamium, epode, epopee, epopoeia, epos, evangelistic, experimental theater, exterior, extravaganza, failure, farm, farming, farmscape, flop, gasser, genuine, georgic, ghazel, giveaway, haiku, halcyon, happening, harmonious, heroic, hit, hit show, homespun, humble, idyll, idyllic, improvisational drama, inartificial, innocent, interior, jingle, landscape, legitimate drama, limerick, lowland, lyric, madrigal, masque, melodrama, ministerial, minstrel show, miracle, miracle play, mock-heroic, monodrama, monody, monologue, morality, morality play, music drama, musical revue, mystery, mystery play, narrative, narrative poem, native, natural, naturelike, nursery rhyme, ode, opera, orderly, outland, pacific, pageant, palinode, panel show, pantomime, pastoral drama, pastoral elegy, pastorela, pastourelle, peaceable, peaceful, peacetime, piece, piping, placid, play, playlet, poem, poetic, poetico-mystical, poetico-mythological, poetico-philosophic, poetlike, prelatial, prelatic, priest-ridden, priestish, priestly, problem play, prothalamium, provincial, psychodrama, quiet, quiz show, rabbinic, radio drama, restful, review, revue, rhapsodic, rhyme, riverscape, rondeau, rondel, roundel, roundelay, runic, rural, rustic, sacerdotal, sapphic, satire, scape, scene, seapiece, seascape, sensational play, serene, serial, sestina, show, simple, sitcom, situation comedy, skaldic, sketch, skit, skyscape, sloka, snowscape, soap, soap opera, sociodrama, soft, song, sonnet, sonnet sequence, spectacle, stage play, stage show, straight drama, success, suspense drama, tableau, tableau vivant, talk show, tanka, teleplay, television drama, television play, tenso, tenzone, theater of cruelty, threnody, total theater, townscape, tranquil, triolet, troubadour poem, ultramontane, unadorned, unaffected, unartificial, unassuming, uncomplicated, undesigning, undisguising, undissembling, undissimulating, unembellished, unfeigning, unpretending, unpretentious, unspoiled, untroubled, unvarnished, upland, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vehicle, verse, verselet, versicle, view, villanelle, virelay, waterscape, word-of-mouth success, work

ROGET THESAURUS

pastoral

Poetry

N poetry, poetics, poesy, Muse, Calliope, tuneful Nine, Parnassus, Helicon, Pierides, Pierian spring, versification, rhyming, making verses, prosody, orthometry, poem, epic, epic poem, epopee, epopoea, ode, epode, idyl, lyric, eclogue, pastoral, bucolic, dithyramb, anacreontic, sonnet, roundelay, rondeau, rondo, madrigal, canzonet, cento, monody, elegy, amoebaeum, ghazal, palinode, dramatic poetry, lyric poetry, opera, posy, anthology, disjecta membra poetae song, ballad, lay, love song, drinking song, war song, sea song, lullaby, music, nursery rhymes, doggerel, Hudibrastic verse, prose run mad, macaronics, macaronic verse, leonine verse, runes, canto, stanza, distich, verse, line, couplet, triplet, quatrain, strophe, antistrophe, verse, rhyme, assonance, crambo, meter, measure, foot, numbers, strain, rhythm, accentuation, dactyl, spondee, trochee, anapest, hexameter, pentameter, Alexandrine, anacrusis, antispast, blank verse, ictus, elegiacs, elegiac verse, elegaic meter, elegaic poetry, poet, poet laureate, laureate, bard, lyrist, scald, skald, troubadour, trouvere, minstrel, minnesinger, meistersinger, improvisatore, versifier, sonneteer, rhymer, rhymist, rhymester, ballad monger, runer, poetaster, genus irritabile vatum, poetic, poetical, lyric, lyrical, tuneful, epic, dithyrambic, metrical, a catalectin, elegiac, iambic, trochaic, anapestic, amoebaeic, Melibean, skaldic, Ionic, Sapphic, Alcaic, Pindaric, a poem round and perfect as a star, Dichtung und Wahrheit, furor poeticus, his virtues formed the magic of his song, I do but sing because I must, I learnt life from the poets, licentia vatum, mutum est pictura poema, O for a muse of fire!, sweet food of sweetly uttered knowledge, the true poem is the poet's mind, Volk der Dichter und Denker, wisdom married to immortal verse.

Churchdom

N church, churchdom, ministry, apostleship, priesthood, prelacy, hierarch, church government, christendom, pale of the church, clericalism, sacerdotalism, episcopalianism, ultramontanism, theocracy, ecclesiology, ecclesiologist, priestcraft, odium theologicum, monachism, monachy, monasticism, monkhood, pontificate, primacy, archbishopric, archiepiscopacy, prelacy, bishopric, bishopdom, episcopate, episcopacy, see, diocese, deanery, stall, canonry, canonicate, prebend, prebendaryship, benefice, incumbency, glebe, advowson, living, cure, rectorship, vicariate, vicarship, deaconry, deaconship, curacy, chaplain, chaplaincy, chaplainship, cardinalate, cardinalship, abbacy, presbytery, holy orders, ordination, institution, consecration, induction, reading in, preferment, translation, presentation, popedom, the Vatican, the apostolic see, religious sects, council, conclave, convocation, synod, consistory, chapter, vestry, sanhedrim, conge d'elire, ecclesiastical courts, consistorial court, court of Arches, ecclesiastical, ecclesiological, clerical, sacerdotal, priestly, prelatical, pastoral, ministerial, capitular, theocratic, hierarchical, archiepiscopal, episcopal, episcopalian, canonical, monastic, monachal, monkish, abbatial, abbatical, Anglican, pontifical, papal, apostolic, Roman, Popish, ultramontane, priest-ridden.

Rite

N rite, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, ceremonial, ordinance, observance, function, duty, form, formulary, solemnity, sacrament, incantation, service, psalmody, ministration, preaching, preachment, predication, sermon, homily, lecture, discourse, pastoral, baptism, christening, chrism, circumcision, baptismal regeneration, font, confirmation, imposition of hands, laying on of hands, ordination, excommunication, Bar Mitzvah, Bas Mitzvah, Bris, Eucharist, Lord's supper, communion, the sacrament, the holy sacrament, celebration, high celebration, missa cantata, asperges, offertory, introit, consecration, consubstantiation, transubstantiation, real presence, elements, mass, high mass, low mass, dry mass, matrimony, burial, visitation of the sick, seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession, maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes, penance, telling of beads, processional, thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion, relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera, eileton, Holy Grail, prayer machine, prayer wheel, Sangraal, urceus, ritualism, ceremonialism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, ritualist, sabbatarian, holyday, feast, fast, Sabbath, Pentecost, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passion week, Holy week, Easter, Easter Sunday, Whitsuntide, agape, Ascension Day, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Lammas, Martinmas, Michaelmas, All SAint's DAy, All Souls' Day, Ramadan, Ramazan, Bairam Passover, Shabuoth, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, Rosh Hashana, New Year, Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights, Purim, Feast of lots, ritual, ritualistic, ceremonial, baptismal, eucharistical, paschal, what art thou, thou idol ceremony?.

Husbandry

N husbandry, taming, circuration, zoohygiantics, domestication, domesticity, manege, veterinary art, farriery, breeding, pisciculture, menagerie, vivarium, zoological garden, bear pit, aviary, apiary, alveary, beehive, hive, aquarium, fishery, duck pond, fish pond, phthisozoics, euthanasia, sacrifice, humane destruction, neatherd, cowherd, shepherd, grazier, drover, cowkeeper, trainer, breeder, apiarian, apiarist, bull whacker, cowboy, cow puncher, farrier, horse leech, horse doctor, vaquero, veterinarian, vet, veterinary surgeon, cage, hencoop, bird cage, cauf, range, sheepfold, pastoral, bucolic, tame, domestic.

Music

N music, concert, strain, tune, air, melody, aria, arietta, piece of music, work, number, opus, sonata, rondo, rondeau, pastorale, cavatina, roulade, fantasia, concerto, overture, symphony, variations, cadenza, cadence, fugue, canon, quodlibet, serenade, notturno, dithyramb, opera, operetta, oratorio, composition, movement, stave, passamezzo, toccata, Vorspiel, instrumental music, full score, minstrelsy, tweedledum and tweedledee, band, orchestra, concerted piece, potpourri, capriccio, vocal music, vocalism, chaunt, chant, psalm, psalmody, hymn, song, canticle, canzonet, cantata, bravura, lay, ballad, ditty, carol, pastoral, recitative, recitativo, solfeggio, Lydian measures, slow music, slow movement, adagio, minuet, siren strains, soft music, lullaby, dump, dirge, pibroch, martial music, march, dance music, waltz, solo, duet, duo, trio, quartet, quartett, septett, part song, descant, glee, madrigal, catch, round, chorus, chorale, antiphon, antiphony, accompaniment, second, bass, score, bourdon, drone, morceau, terzetto, composer, musician, musical, instrumental, vocal, choral, lyric, operatic, harmonious, Wagnerian, adagio, largo, larghetto, andante, andantino, alla capella, maestoso, moderato, allegro, allegretto, spiritoso, vivace, veloce, presto, prestissimo, con brio, capriccioso, scherzo, scherzando, legato, staccato, crescendo, diminuendo, rallentando, affettuoso, obbligato, pizzicato, desto, in notes by distance made more sweet, like the faint exquisite music of a dream, music arose with its voluptuous swell, music is the universal language of mankind, music's golden tongue, the speech of angels, will sing the savageness out of a bear, music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.