Webster's English Dictionary

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pastoral

Cross references:
  1. rural                 
 
1. pas.to.ral \'pas-t(*-)r*l\ \-t(*-)r*-le-\ aj 1a1: of, relating to, or 
   composed of shepherds or herdsmen  1a2: devoted to or based on livestock 
   raising  1b: RURAL  1c: portraying or expressive of the life of shepherds 
   or country people es p. in an idealized and conventionalized manner {~ 
   poetry} 1d: INNOCENT, IDYLLIC  2a: of or relating to spiritual care or 
   guidance esp. of a congregation  2b: of or relating to the pastor of a 
   church  - pas.to.ral.ly av
2. pastoral \'pas-t(*-)r*l, 2d is often .pas-t*-'ra:l, -'ral\ n 1: a letter 
   of a pastor to his charge : as  1a: a letter addressed by a bishop to his 
   diocese  1b: a letter of the house of bishops of the Protestant Episcopal 
   Church to  be read in each parish 2a: a literary work dealing with 
   shepherds or rural life in a usu. artifici al manner and typically drawing 
   a contrast between the innocence and serenity of the simple life and the 
   misery and corruption of city and esp. court life 2b: pastoral poetry or 
   drama  2c: a rural picture or scene  2d: PASTORALE  3: CROSIER