Lewis & Short

pābŭlum, i, n. [from the root pa, whence also pa-sco], food, nourishment.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. Of men (only poet.): dura mundi, Lucr. 5, 944: dira (of the human food of Polyphemus), Val. Fl. 4, 105; Stat. Th. 12, 566.
    2. B. Of animals, food, fodder (very freq. and class.): bubus pabulum parare, Cato, R. R. 54, 1: pabulo pecoris student (Numidae), Sall. J. 90, 1: secare pabulum, Caes. B. G. 7, 14: supportare, id. B. C. 3, 58: consumere, id. B. G. 7, 18: conquirere, Hirt. B. G. 8, 10: comparare, Nep. Eum. 8: hirundo Pabula parva legens, Verg. A. 12, 475: pabula decerpere, Ov. M. 13, 943: pabula carpsit ovis, id. F. 4, 750; id. P. 1, 2, 122: praebere feris, Lucr. 4, 685; 5, 991: pabula laeta, id. 2, 364; 875: luna feras ducit ad pabula, Petr. 100: viciam conserere in pabulum, Col. 11, 2, 71: cervi noctu procedunt ad pabula, Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 117: subus serpentes in pabulo sunt, id. 11, 53, 115, § 279: ager frugum pabulique laetus, i. e. food for men and beasts, Sall. H. 2, 91 Dietsch; id. J. 90, 1.
  2. II. Trop., food, nourishment, sustenance (class.): Acheruntis pabulum, food for Acheron (said of one who deserves to die), Plaut. Cas. 2, 1, 11: piscibus in alto credo praehibent pabulum, id. Rud. 2, 6, 29: amoris, Lucr. 4, 1063: est enim animorum ingeniorumque naturale quoddam quasi pabulum consideratio contemplatioque naturae, Cic. Ac. 2, 41, 127: studii atque doctrinae, id. Sen. 14, 49: dederatque gravi nova pabula morbo, Ov. M. 8, 876.
    Of manure: pabula fesso praebere novali, Col. 10, 84; 2, 5, 1.
    Of nourishment for the mind: quasi pabula quaedam animo ad sublimiora scandendi conquirens, Amm. 14, 5, 6.