Meaning of pecus | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A group of large domestic animals: a herd of cattle, horses, or donkeys; such animals in a collective sense: cattle and equines.
   declension-3, neuter
2. A single herd animal, especially a head of cattle, a horse.
   declension-3, feminine
3. genitive singular of pecū̆
   form-of, genitive, singular
4. Any other group of animals, imagined as a herd or flock; such animals collectively: beasts.
   declension-3, figuratively, neuter
5. A single animal, a beast, especially smaller livestock or livestock taken generally.
   declension-3, feminine
6. A mindless group of people: "cattle", "sheep", rabble, the mob.
   declension-3, derogatory, neuter
7. A mindless or violent person: a brute, an animal.
   declension-3, derogatory, feminine
8. Any individual animal, conceived as a member or usual member of a flock or herd.
   Late-Latin, declension-3, neuter

Equivalents

Examples

“1st century bc, M. Terentius Varro, Rerum Rusticarum, Book II, Ch. 1, §12”

...there is a knowledge of tending and feeding livestock so that the greatest profit is siezed from it... It has nine parts, three divisions of three items each, such that one is about the lesser domestic animals whose three species are the sheep, goat, and pig and another about the greater livestock, in which there are likewise three kinds divided by their nature: cows, donkeys, and horses. The third part is in animals which are not raised so that profit may be seized from them themselves but because of or from the other groups above. They are mules, dogs, and shepherds.

“1st century bc, G. Iulius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book. VI, Ch. vi”

Caesar... enters their country in three divisions, burns their houses and villages, and gets possession of a large number of animals and men.

“1st century, L. Iunius Moderatus Columella, De Re Rustica, Book VIII, Ch. iv”

...volatile pecus... ...flying herd [i.e., birds]...

“1st century, L. Iunius Moderatus Columella, De Re Rustica, Book VIII, Ch. xvii, Sect. 7”

With our 'stables' arranged on this principle, we will lead in our watery 'herd' [i.e., fish]...

“29 bc. Vergil. Georgics, III omne adeo genvs in terris hominvmqve ferarvmqve et genvs æqvorevm pecvdes pictæqve volvcres in fvrias ignemqve rvvnt So far does every species on earth of man and beast, whether the aquatic species, livestock, or painted-winged, collapse into the frenzies and the fire [of sex].”

CEFR level