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Of or pertaining to shepherds; hence, relating to rural life and scenes; as, a pastoral life.

A composition in a soft, rural style, generally in 6-8 or 12-8 time.

In a pastoral or rural manner.

Partaking of the nature of, or combining, tragedy, comedy, and pastoral poetry. [R.] Gay.

A pastoral sweetheart. To sport with Amaryllis in the shade. Milton.

Of or pertaining to Arcadia; pastoral; ideally rural; as, Arcadian simplicity or scenery.

A pastoral song. [Obs.]

Of or pertaining to the life and occupation of a shepherd; pastoral; rustic.

One of a warlike, pastoral people, skillful as horsemen, inhabiting different parts of the Russian empire and furnishing valuable contingents of irregular cavalry to its armies, those of Little Russia and those of the Don forming the principal divisions.

rd, the hook of which serves to hold a runaway sheep. (b) A bishop's staff of office. Cf. Pastoral stafu. He left his crook, he left his flocks. Prior.

The pastoral staff of a bishop (also of an archbishop, being the symbol of his office as a shepherd of the flock of God.

lt. It is commonly designed to be spoken and represented by actors on the stage. A divine pastoral drama in the Song of Solomon. Milton.

A monotonous bass, as in a pastoral composition.

A pastoral poem, in which shepherds are introduced conversing with each other; a bucolic; an idyl; as, the Ecloques of Virgil, from which the modern usage of the word has been established.

fore. Chaucer. Tityrus, with whose style he had erst disclaimed all ambition to match his pastoral pipe. A. W. Ward. At erst, at first; at the beginning. -- Now at erst, at this present time. Chaucer.

. Certain branches of industry are conveniently designated extractive: e.g., agriculture, pastoral and mining pursuits, cutting of lumber, etc. Cairnes.

A possession; the Israelites, as God's chosen people; also, a flock under pastoral charge. Joel iii. 2. 1 Peter v. 3.

A short poem; properly, a short pastoral poem; as, the idyls of Theocritus; also, any poem, especially a narrative or descriptive poem, written in an eleveted and highly finished style; also, by extension, any artless and easily flowing description, either in poetry or prose, of simple, rustic life, of pastoral scenes,…

A little amorous poem, sometimes called a pastoral poem, containing some tender and delicate, though simple, thought. Whose artful strains have oft delayed The huddling brook to hear his madrigal. Milton.

er wind instruments in the modern orchestra, yet of great antiquity, having a penetrating pastoral quality of tone, somewhat like the clarinet in form, but more slender, and sounded by means of a double reed; a hautboy. Oboe d'amore Etym: [It., lit., oboe of love], and Oboe di caccia Etym: [It., lit., oboe of the chase…