to move past; go by: [~ + object]to pass a car on the side of the road.[no object]Several cars passed before I realized we were slowing down.
to go across or over an entrance, etc.; cross:[no object]The burglar stood in the hallway, then passed into the next room.
to let something go without taking notice, etc.; disregard: [no object]let her offensive remarks pass.[~ + object]Pass chapter two and go on to chapter three.
to (cause to) allow to go through a barrier, etc.: [~ + object]The guard passed the visitor after examining his papers.[no object]"Your papers are in order; you may pass,'' the guard said.
to endure or undergo:[~ + object]passed the worst night of their lives.
to (cause to) elapse or go through a period of time: [~ + object]How did you pass the time in Finland in winter?[no object]Actually, the days passed quickly.
to come to an end:[no object]The crisis soon passed.
to go away; depart:[no object]The feeling will pass.
to undergo or complete successfully: [~ + object]to pass an examination.[no object]Two students passed, but many more failed.
to permit (a person) to complete an examination, course, etc., successfully:[~ + object]The teacher passed all of her students.
to be something not very good but still acceptable:[no object]This copy isn't very good, but it will pass.
[no object] to live or be known as a member of a racial, religious, or ethnic group not one's own.
to convey, transfer, or transmit:[~ + object]Please pass the salt.
to (cause to) go or move onward: [~ + object]to pass a rope through a hole.[no object]Can the rope pass through this hole?
to cause to be accepted:[~ + object]trying to pass a bad check.
to be exchanged or conveyed, as between two persons:[no object]Sharp words passed between them.
to discharge or excrete from the body: [~ + object]He passed a kidney stone in his urine.[no object]Don't worry, the kidney stones will pass normally through your urine.
to approve, esp. by vote:[~ + object]Congress passed the bill.
to obtain the approval of: [~ + object]The bill passed the Senate.[no object]The bill didn't pass.
to express, as an opinion:[~ + object]to pass judgment without knowing the facts.
Sportto transfer (a ball or puck) to a teammate: [~ + object]He passed the ball to his teammate.[no object]He couldn't pass to anyone, so he shot.
to express or pronounce an opinion or judgment:[no object* usually: ~ + on + object]Will you pass on the authenticity of this drawing?
pass away or on,[no object] to die:She passed away quietly in her sleep.
pass down, [~ + down + object] to tell or teach (traditions, etc.) to one's descendants; hand down:passing down important traditions to the next generation.
pass off:
to present or sell (something) deceptively or under false pretenses: [~ + off + object]The used car salesman tried to pass off this cheap car as a more expensive model.[~ + object +off]He tried to pass it off as a new model.
[~ + oneself + off + as] to cause to be accepted under a false identity:He passed himself off as a doctor.
pass on:
[no object] Also, pass away, to die.
to give something to someone; tell information to someone: [~ + object + on]passed the latest gossip on.[~ + on +object]Pass on the information to your co-workers.
pass out, [no object] to faint:He passed out from all the drinking.
pass over:
[~ + over + object] to disregard; ignore:I will pass over the fact that my opponent is a liar.
to fail to notice or consider; overlook: [~ + over +object]The company passed over several qualified women and hired a man.[~ + object + over]They passed him over for the promotion again.
pass up, to refuse or neglect to take advantage of, as an opportunity: [~ + up + object]When he turned down that job offer, he passed up a golden opportunity.[~ + object + up]The offer was so good she just couldn't pass it up.
-pass- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "step; pace.'' This meaning is found in such words as: bypass, compass, encompass, impasse, pass, passable, passage, passageway, passport, surpass, trespass, underpass.
-pass-2,root.
-pass- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "suffer; experience.'' It is related to -pat-. This meaning is found in such words as: compassion, dispassionate, impassioned, impassive, passion, passive.
to move past; go by:to pass another car on the road.
to let go without notice, action, remark, etc.; leave unconsidered; disregard; overlook:Pass chapter two and go on to chapter three.
to omit the usual or regular payment of:The company decided to pass its dividend in the third quarter of the year.
to cause or allow to go through or beyond a gate, barrier, etc.:The guard checked the identification papers and then passed the visitor.
to go across or over (a stream, threshold, etc.); cross.
to endure or undergo:They passed the worst night of their lives.
to undergo or complete successfully:to pass an examination.
to cause or permit to complete successfully (an investigation, examination, course of study, etc.):I am passing the whole class this term.
to go beyond (a point, degree, stage, etc.); transcend; exceed; surpass.
to cause to go or extend farther:to pass a rope through a hole.
to cause to go, move, or march by:to pass troops in review.
to allot to oneself (a portion of time); spend:He decided to pass a year abroad.
to live through, utilize, or fill; occupy oneself during:How to pass the time?
to cause to circulate or spread; disseminate:to pass rumors.
to cause to be accepted or received:to pass a worthless check.
to convey, transfer, or transmit; deliver (often fol. by on):Pass this memo on after reading it.
to convey from one person, hand, etc., to another:Please pass the salt.
to pledge:to pass one's word of honor to remain loyal.
to utter, pronounce, or speak:She passed a remark about every passerby.
to cause to go through something, as a process or agency:to pass returning travelers through customs.
to discharge or void from the body, as excrement or a kidney stone.
to sanction or approve, esp. by vote:Congress passed the bill.
to obtain the approval or sanction of (a legislative body, committee, etc.), esp. by a vote:The bill passed Congress on the second vote.
to express or pronounce, as an opinion:to pass judgment without knowing the facts.
Lawto place legal title or interest in (another) by a conveyance, a will, or other transfer.
(in feats of magic) to perform a pass on.
Sport[Tennis.]to make a passing shot against (an opponent).
Sportto transfer (the ball or puck) to a teammate.
Sport[Bullfighting.](of a bullfighter) to provoke and guide the charge of (a bull) with the capa or esp. the muleta.
v.i.
to go or move onward; proceed.
to come to or toward, then go beyond:to pass by a shop; to pass through town.
to go away; depart:The dizzy feeling will pass in a minute.
to elapse or slip by; be spent:The day passed very quickly for him.
to come to an end:The crisis soon passed.
to die.
to take place; happen; occur:What passed while I was on vacation?
to go by or move past:The funeral procession passed slowly.
to go about or circulate; be current.
to serve as a marginally acceptable substitute:The facsimile isn't very good but it will pass.
to live or be known as a member of a racial, religious, or ethnic group other than one's own, esp. to live and be known as a white person although of black ancestry.
to be transferred or conveyed:The crown passed to the king's nephew.
to be interchanged, as between two persons:Sharp words passed between them.
to undergo transition or conversion:to pass from a solid to a liquid state.
to go or get through a barrier, test, course of study, etc., successfully:Of the twenty who took the exam, only twelve passed.
to go unheeded, unchallenged, or unremarked on:He decided to let the insult pass.
to express or pronounce an opinion, judgment, verdict, etc. (usually fol. by on or upon):Will you pass on the authenticity of this drawing?
to be voided, as excrement or a kidney stone.
to obtain the vote of approval or sanction of a legislative body, official committee, or the like:The new tax bill finally passed.
Law
(of a member of an inquest or other deliberative body) to sit (usually fol. by on or upon):to pass on a case of manslaughter.
to adjudicate.
to vest title or other legal interest in real or personal property in a new owner.
to throw a ball from one person to another, as in a game of catch.
Sportto make a pass, as in football or ice hockey.
Games[Cards.]
to forgo one's opportunity to bid, play, etc.
to throw in one's hand.
Sport[Fencing Obs.]to thrust or lunge.
Idiomsbring to pass, to cause to happen; bring about:His wife's death brought to pass a change in his attitude toward religion.
Idiomscome to pass, to occur; happen:Strange things came to pass.
pass along or through, to add (incurred extra costs or expenses) to the amount charged a client or customer:Airlines were passing along the sudden increase in fuel prices.
pass away:
to cease; end:All this trouble will pass away.
to die:He passed away during the night.
pass for, to be accepted as; be considered:material that passed for silk.
Idiomspass muster. See muster (def. 11).
pass off:
to present or offer (something) under false pretenses; dispose of deceptively:to pass off a spurious de Kooning on a gullible buyer.
to cause to be accepted or received under a false identity:He passed himself off as a doctor.
to cease gradually; end:The headache passed off in the late afternoon.
to disregard or ignore.
to continue to completion; occur:The meeting passed off without incident.
pass on, to die:The patient passed on after a long illness.
pass out, [Informal.]
to lose consciousness; faint.
to die; pass away.
to distribute, esp. individually by hand:to pass out discount coupons on a street corner.
to walk or march out or through; leave or exit by means of:The graduates will pass out the center aisle after receiving their diplomas. Pass out this door and turn left.
to be exempted or promoted from:Jerry passed out of freshman composition on the basis of his entering essay.
pass over:
to disregard; ignore:Just pass over the first part of his letter.
to fail to take notice of or consider:He was passed over for the promotion.
pass up, to refuse or neglect to take advantage of; reject:The opportunity may not come again, so don't pass it up.
n.
an act of passing.
a narrow route across a relatively low notch or depression in a mountain barrier.
Geographya road, channel, or other way providing a means of passage, as through an obstructed region or other barrier.
Geographya navigable channel, as at the mouth or in the delta of a river.
a permission or license to pass, go, come, or enter.
[Mil.]
Militarya military document granting the right to cross lines or to enter or leave a military or naval base or building.
Militarywritten authority given a soldier to leave a station or duty for a specified period of time.
a free ticket or permit:two passes to a concert; a railroad pass.
British Terms, Government[South African.]See reference book (def. 2).
British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]the act of passing a university or school examination or course without honors or distinction.
Sportthe transfer of a ball or puck from one teammate to another.
Sport[Baseball.]See base on balls.
Sport[Fencing.]a thrust or lunge.
a single movement, effort, maneuver, etc.:He made a pass at the control tower of the enemy airfield.
Informal Terms
a gesture, action, or remark that is intended to be sexually inviting; amorous overture.
a jab or poke with the arm, esp. one that misses its mark.
Games[Cards.]the act or statement of not bidding or raising another bid:There have been two passes and now it's your bid.
(in feats of magic)
a passing of the hand over, along, or before anything.
the transference or changing of objects by or as by sleight of hand; a manipulation, as of a juggler.
a particular stage or state of affairs:The economic situation had come to a dreadful pass.
Sport[Bullfighting.]a pase.
Mechanical Engineeringone passage of a tool over work or one passage of work through a machine.
[Archaic.]a witty remark or thrust.
Miningan opening for delivering coal or ore to a lower level underground.
Middle French passe (noun, nominal derivative of passer), in part noun, nominal derivative of passen
Vulgar Latin *passāre, derivative of Latin passus step, pace1; (noun, nominal) Middle English; in part