I.pasture, fodder, food (class; equally common in sing. and plur.): “animalia ad pastum accedunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: “animantia anquirunt pastum,” id. Off. 1, 4, 11: “pastum capessere et conficere,” id. N. D. 2, 47, 121; id. Fin. 2, 13, 40: “e pastu decedens,” Verg. G. 1, 381.—In plur.: “terra fundit ex sese pastus varios,” Cic. Fin. 2, 34, 111: “conatum habere ad naturalis pastus capessendos,” id. N. D. 2, 47, 122.—
B. Transf., food of men (poet. and very rare): “hominum pastus pecudumque cibatus,” Lucr. 6, 1127.—
II. Trop., food, sustenance: “populari agros ad praesentem pastum mendicitatis suae,” Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 4: “pastus animorum,” id. Tusc. 5, 23, 66.