pastoral
/ˈpɑːstərəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpæstərəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-st(ə-)rəl nonstandard pa-ˈstȯr-əl/ (ame, mw)
pastoral — adjective
- pastoralpositive
- more pastoralcomparative
- most pastoralsuperlative
1. connected with the part of a priest's or teacher's work that gives personal supp
connected with the part of a priest's or teacher's work that gives personal support, advice, or spiritual care
The school added two counselors to strengthen its pastoral support system.
pastoral support in a school setting
During training, new priests study both theology and pastoral care.
pastoral care in church training
The head teacher met Salma about a pastoral concern at home.
Good pastoral work often begins with quiet listening, not quick advice.
- supportive
broader and less tied to formal care work
- advisory
focuses on giving advice rather than emotional care
- administrative
concerned with rules and paperwork rather than personal support
用法筆記
Common in school and church settings, often before nouns like care, support, or team. Distinguish from adjective/2, which describes artistic pictures of country life.
2. showing the countryside in a pleasant, traditional, or romantic way, especially
showing the countryside in a pleasant, traditional, or romantic way, especially in art, music, or writing
The novel opens with a pastoral scene of sheep beside a stream.
pastoral scene in literature
Flute music gave the film a gentle pastoral mood.
pastoral mood created by music
The painter is known for pastoral landscapes with small farms and trees.
Ari wrote a pastoral poem to contrast village calm with city noise.
- urban
describes city settings rather than country scenes
用法筆記
Usually describes art, writing, or music that presents country life warmly or idealistically. Distinguish from adjective/3, which refers to real animal farming or herding.
3. connected with shepherds, herding, or the raising of animals on open land
connected with shepherds, herding, or the raising of animals on open land
The region's pastoral economy depends on sheep, goats, and open grassland.
pastoral economy based on animal herding
Herders still follow pastoral routes across the dry northern hills.
pastoral routes used for seasonal herding
Museum maps explain the area's long pastoral history and cattle trade.
The report compared pastoral communities with nearby rice-growing villages.
- arable
used for land devoted to growing crops
用法筆記
Most often modifies nouns such as community, economy, land, or route in discussions of herding. Unlike adjective/2, it describes real livestock life rather than an artistic style.
pastoral — noun
1. a poem, play, piece of music, or picture that shows shepherds or country life, o
a poem, play, piece of music, or picture that shows shepherds or country life, often in an idealized way
Students read a short pastoral about shepherds singing at sunset.
countable noun for a rural-themed work
The gallery displayed a small pastoral beside two crowded city scenes.
pastoral used for a painting
Critics praised the opera as a modern pastoral with farm voices.
In class, Felix compared the pastoral with a poem about war.
- satire
focuses on criticism or mockery rather than idealized rural life
用法筆記
Usually countable when naming one poem, painting, or musical work. It is not the same as noun/2, which names a church letter.
2. an official church message sent in writing by a bishop, pastor, or similar leade
an official church message sent in writing by a bishop, pastor, or similar leader to members of a parish or diocese
The bishop's Christmas pastoral was read in every parish that Sunday.
bishop's pastoral as an official church letter
Church volunteers printed the pastoral for members who stayed home.
the pastoral distributed to church members
In the pastoral, the archbishop asked families to welcome refugees.
The history course included a wartime pastoral from the local diocese.
用法筆記
Usually appears with bishop, diocesan, Easter, or Christmas, and is often read aloud in churches. It does not refer to general counselling or rural art.