pasture

be put out to grass

To be forced, coerced, or pressured into retiring from one's work. The CEO shaped the company into what it is today, but the board of directors has decided that she needs to be put out to grass simply because she's getting older. Anyone who turns 60 is promptly put out to grass by that disgraceful company. No, I wasn't put out to grass. When your mom got sick, it was definitely time to retire.

See also: grass, out, put, to

be put out to pasture

1. Of an animal, to be retired from working and allowed to roam freely in a field or pasture. This horse has been my constant companion for the last 15 years on the ranch, but now I think it's about time he was put out to pasture. I can't believe this old donkey hasn't been put out to pasture yet. Would you put this horse out to pasture already? He's too slow these days to be much help around the farm anyway.

2. To be forced, coerced, or pressured into retiring from one's work. The CEO shaped the company into what it is today, but the board of directors has decided that she needs to be put out to pasture simply because she's getting older. Anyone who turns 60 is promptly put out to pasture by that disgraceful company. No, I wasn't put out to pasture. When your mom got sick, it was definitely time to retire.

3. Of a piece of equipment or machinery, to be replaced or retired from use. I got through my entire graduate degree on this clunky old laptop, but I think it's finally time for this thing to be put out to pasture. This car needs to be put out to pasture, man. Just look at that rusted-out engine! At that underfunded school, kids are expected to learn on computers that should have been put out to pasture in the 90s.

See also: out, pasture, put, to

greener pastures

A place or thing that is an improvement on one's current situation. I liked my job here, but it just didn't pay enough, so I had to go to greener pastures. Why do you think so many people in the department have left for greener pastures? I've loved living in London, but it's time to seek greener pastures.

See also: greener, pasture

leave for greener pastures

To leave behind some place or situation in pursuit of something better, especially a new job or place to live. I liked my job there, but it just didn't pay enough, so I decided to leave for greener pastures. Why do you think so many people in the department have left for greener pastures?

See also: for, greener, leave, pasture

new pastures

A new job or place to live that offers new experiences or opportunities. Starting next month, I'll be packing up my job with the newspaper and heading off to new pastures. I've loved living in New York City, but it's time to find new pastures.

See also: new, pasture

pastures new

A new job or place to live that offers new experiences or opportunities. Primarily heard in UK. Starting next month, I'll be packing up my job with the newspaper and heading off to pastures new. I've loved living in London, but it's time to find pastures new.

See also: new, pasture

put (someone or something) out to pasture

1. Literally, to retire an animal from working by allowing it roam in a field or pasture. This horse has been my constant companion for the last 15 years on the ranch, but now I think it's about time to put him out to pasture. You ought to put that old donkey out to pasture, don't you think?

2. By extension, to force, coerce, or pressure someone into retiring from their work. The CEO shaped the company into what it is today, but she's getting on in years and the board of directors has decided to put her out to pasture.

3. To retire a piece of equipment from use or replace it with something newer. I got through my entire graduate degree on this clunky old laptop, but I think it's finally time to put it out to pasture.

See also: out, pasture, put, to

seek greener pastures

To pursue an improvement on one's current situation, especially a new job or place to live. I liked my job there, but it just didn't pay enough, so I left to seek greener pastures elsewhere. I've loved living in London, but it's time to seek greener pastures.

See also: greener, pasture, seek

seek new pastures

To pursue an improvement on one's current situation, especially a new job or place to live. I liked my job there, but it just didn't pay enough, so I left to seek new pastures elsewhere. I've loved living in New York City, but it's time to seek new pastures.

See also: new, pasture, seek

seek pastures new

To pursue an improvement on one's current situation, especially a new job or place to live. Primarily heard in UK. I liked my job here, but it just didn't pay enough, so I had to seek pastures new. I've loved living in London, but it's time to seek pastures new.

See also: new, pasture, seek

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

put a horse out to pasture

to retire a horse by allowing it to live out its days in a pasture with no work. (See also put someone out to pasture.) The horse could no longer work, so we put it out to pasture.

See also: horse, out, pasture, put, to

put someone out to pasture

Fig. to retire someone. (Based on put a horse out to pasture.) Please don't put me out to pasture. I have lots of good years left. This vice president has reached retirement age. It's time to put him out to pasture.

See also: out, pasture, put, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

put out to grass

Also, put out to pasture. Cause to retire, as in With mandatory retirement they put you out to grass at age 65, or She's not all that busy now that she's been put out to pasture. These idioms refer to farm animals sent to graze when they are no longer useful for other work.

See also: grass, out, put, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

be put out to grass

If someone is put out to grass, they are made to retire from their job, or they are moved to a less important job, because people think that they are too old to be useful. As for the presenters of the show, they should have been put out to grass long ago. The Prime Minister refused to be put out to grass. Asked if he would quit, he replied `The answer is no.' Compare with put someone out to pasture. Note: When horses have reached the end of their working lives, they are sometimes released into fields to graze.

See also: grass, out, put, to

put someone out to pasture

If you put someone out to pasture, you make them retire from their job, or move them to an unimportant job, usually because you think that they are too old to be useful. I'm retiring next month. They're putting me out to pasture. He should not yet be put out to pasture. His ministerial experience is valuable. Compare with be put out to grass. Note: When horses have reached the end of their working lives, they are sometimes released into fields (= pasture) to graze.

See also: out, pasture, put, someone, to

greener pastures

People talk about greener pastures to mean a better life or situation than the one they are in now. A lot of nurses seek greener pastures overseas. They moved around for years, sometimes even leaving the state for what they thought would be greener pastures.

See also: greener, pasture

pastures new

BRITISH

COMMON If someone moves on to pastures new, they leave their present place or situation and move to a new one. Michael decided he wanted to move on to pastures new for financial reasons. I found myself packing a suitcase and heading for pastures new. Note: You can also talk about moving on to new pastures or fresh pastures. No matter how much we long for new pastures, when we reach them they can seem like a bad idea. Note: This is a quotation from `Lycidas' (1638) by the English poet Milton: `At last he rose, and twitch'd his Mantle blew: Tomorrow to fresh Woods, and Pastures new.' This is sometimes wrongly quoted as `fresh fields and pastures new'.

See also: new, pasture

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

(fresh fields and) pastures new

a place or activity regarded as offering new opportunities.

The expression is a slightly garbled version of a line from Milton's poem Lycidas ( 1637 ): ‘Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new’.

See also: new, pasture

put someone out to pasture

force someone to retire.

See also: out, pasture, put, someone, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

put somebody out to ˈpasture

(informal, humorous) ask somebody to leave a job because they are getting old; make somebody retire: Isn’t it time some of these politicians were put out to pasture?This expression refers to old farm horses or other animals, which no longer work and stay in the fields (= pastures) all day.

See also: out, pasture, put, somebody, to

ˌpastures ˈnew

a new job, place to live, way of life, etc: After 10 years as a teacher, Jen felt it was time to move on to pastures new. ♢ Without warning, she left him for pastures new.

See also: new, pasture

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

put out to pasture

1. To herd (grazing animals) into pasturable land.

2. Informal To retire or compel to retire from work or a full workload.

See also: out, pasture, put, to

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

put out to grass/pasture, to be

To be retired from active duty; to rusticate. This term, which refers to animals that are turned out to a meadow or range, particularly a horse that is too old to work, was transferred to human beings as early as the sixteenth century. John Heywood used it in his 1546 proverb collection: “He turnde hir out at doores to grasse on the playne.”

See also: grass, out, put, to

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer