Lewis & Short

2. pastus, ūs, m. [pasco],

  1. I. pasture, fodder, food (class; equally common in sing. and plur.): animalia ad pastum accedunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: animantia anquirunt pastum, id. Off. 1, 4, 11: pastum capessere et conficere, id. N. D. 2, 47, 121; id. Fin. 2, 13, 40: e pastu decedens, Verg. G. 1, 381.
    In plur.: terra fundit ex sese pastus varios, Cic. Fin. 2, 34, 111: conatum habere ad naturalis pastus capessendos, id. N. D. 2, 47, 122.
    1. B. Transf., food of men (poet. and very rare): hominum pastus pecudumque cibatus, Lucr. 6, 1127.
  2. II. Trop., food, sustenance: populari agros ad praesentem pastum mendicitatis suae, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 4: pastus animorum, id. Tusc. 5, 23, 66.