Emily Dickinson Lexicon

cattle, n. [ME < L. capitals, head, principle, capital; in medieval times 'principle sum of money, capital, wealth, property'; compare variant form “chattel.”] (webplay: herd, tillage).

1. Livestock; kine; bovine animals; herd of cows.
2. Oxen; large slow-moving four-footed creatures; [fig.] cloud.
3. Cow; steer; [generalization] creature; animal; [fig.] pest; insect.