1 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
verb
passes;
passed;
passing
1 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
verb
passes;
passed;
passing
Britannica Dictionary definition of PASS
1
a
:
to move past someone or something
[no object]
-
The boat was too tall to pass beneath/under the bridge.
-
A flock of geese were passing overhead.
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Stand here and don't let anyone pass. [=move past you]
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— often + by
-
They pass by the library on their way to school.
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I was just passing by and thought I'd stop and say hello.
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[+ object]
-
They pass the library every morning on their way to school.
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The ships passed each other in the night.
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We passed each other in the hallway without looking up.
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— often + by
-
She was hoping he would stop and talk to her, but he passed her by.
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b
:
to move past someone or something that is moving more slowly in the same direction
[no object]
-
(US) “Is it safe to pass?” [=(Brit) overtake] “No, there's a car coming in the other lane.”
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[+ object]
-
She passed two other runners just before the finish line.
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He passed the slower cars on the highway.
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2
always followed by an adverb or preposition
a
[no object]
:
to move or go into or through a particular place
-
The drug passes quickly into the bloodstream.
-
In a solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the Earth.
-
The airplane passed out of sight.
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— often + through
-
Fear and panic passed through the crowd.
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A river passes through the middle of the city.
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Millions of tourists pass through the museum every year.
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The paper passes through the fax machine and comes out the other end.
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The bullet passed through his shoulder.
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We passed through Texas on our way to Mexico.
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We're just passing through. [=staying here for a very short time]
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b
[+ object]
:
to cause (something) to move or go in a specified way
-
Pass the end of the string through the loop.
-
He passed the rope around the pole.
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3
[+ object]
:
to give (something) to someone using your hands
-
She passed the baby back to his mother.
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Would you please pass the salt?
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Pass [=hand] me the butter, please.
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They started passing around pictures of their trip.
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Take one sheet and pass the rest down/on/along. [=take one sheet and give the rest to the next person]
-
Can you pass that screwdriver over to me?
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4
sports
:
to throw, hit, or kick a ball or puck to a teammate
[+ object]
-
Pass me the ball! = Pass the ball to me!
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[no object]
-
She passed to her teammate who then scored a goal.
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5
[+ object]
a
:
to cause someone to have or be affected by (something that you have had or been affected by)
-
The disease was passed from mother to child. = She passed the disease to her child.
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— often + on
-
She contracted the disease and passed it on to her child.
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Gas prices have risen, forcing companies to pass the cost on to the consumer.
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We lowered our costs and are now able to pass on the savings to our customers.
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— sometimes + along
-
We're passing the savings along to our customers.
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b
:
to give (information) to another person
— often + on
-
Doctors need to pass this information on to their patients.
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Everyone's invited to the party. Pass it on! [=tell people that everyone is invited]
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— often + along
-
They quickly passed the word along that the meeting was postponed.
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He told me about it, and now I'm passing it along to you.
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6
[no object]
a
:
to go from one person to another person
-
The rumor quickly passed [=spread] from person to person.
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The book passed from hand to hand.
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b
:
to be given to someone especially according to a law, rule, etc.
-
The throne passed to the king's son.
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Ownership passes to the buyer upon payment in full.
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After her death, the house passed into the hands of her granddaughter. [=her granddaughter became the owner of the house]
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7
of time
a
[no object]
:
to go by
-
Several months passed before I received a reply.
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He became sleepy as the time passed.
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The days pass quickly when you're on vacation.
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Another day passed without any news about the whereabouts of their missing son.
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b
[+ object]
:
to let (time or a period of time) go by especially while you are doing something enjoyable
-
He passes [=spends] his days reading and taking walks around the neighborhood.
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They passed the evening playing cards.
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We played games to pass the time on the bus.
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I walked over to my neighbor's house to pass the time of day. [=to have a friendly and informal conversation]
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8
[no object]
a
:
to happen or take place
-
The meeting passed without incident.
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He hoped that his mistake would pass unnoticed. [=not be noticed by anyone]
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— often + between
-
A meaningful glance passed between them. [=they glanced at each other in a meaningful way]
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It's hard to believe that they're still friends after everything that's passed between them.
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b
:
to end or go away
-
She couldn't let the moment pass (away) without saying something.
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This crisis will soon pass. [=will soon be over]
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A storm had just passed.
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They waited until it was clear that the danger had passed.
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They were happy once, but that time has passed. [=that time is over]
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The era of the traveling salesman has passed into history. [=traveling salesmen no longer exist]
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9
[no object]
:
to be done, said, etc., without producing a response
-
I disagreed with what he said, but I let it pass. [=I did not say anything in response to his remark]
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She let his remark pass without comment.
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10
[no object]
a
:
to not take, accept, or use something that is offered to you
-
Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass.
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— often + on
-
He passed on the cake. [=he did not eat any cake]
-
I think I'll pass on going with you.
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b
:
to decide not to do something at a particular point in a game (such as a card game) when it is your turn
-
“I bid three of hearts.” “I pass.”
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11
a
:
to complete (a test, class, etc.) successfully
[+ object]
-
He failed his driver's test the first time he took it, but he passed it the second time.
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I almost didn't pass my French class this semester.
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[no object]
-
“How did you do on the test?” “I passed!”
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b
[+ object]
:
to decide that (someone) has passed an examination or course of study
-
The teacher said she couldn't pass me because I failed all of my tests.
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12
a
[+ object]
:
to officially approve (a law, bill, etc.)
-
Congress passed a law banning the sale of automatic rifles.
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The measure was passed by both the House and the Senate.
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We've been trying to get this legislation passed for several months now.
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b
chiefly US
:
to become approved by (a legislature)
[+ object]
-
The measure passed both the House and the Senate.
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The bill passed the House but was defeated/rejected by the Senate.
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[no object]
-
The proposal passed (into law).
-
The bill failed to pass in the Senate.
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13
[+ object]
formal
:
to say or state (something) especially in an official way
-
Before passing sentence [=announcing the punishment], the judge commented on the seriousness of the crime.
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The court is now ready to pass judgment.
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It would be premature to pass judgment on [=to state an opinion on] his place in history.
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Don't pass judgment on me [=don't criticize me] until you know all the facts.
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14
[+ object]
:
to go beyond (a number or amount)
— usually used with mark
-
It's an extremely successful movie that has just passed [=exceeded, surpassed] the $100 million mark. [=it has earned more than $100 million]
-
I've passed the half-century mark. [=I am over 50 years old]
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15
[no object]
:
to change from one state or form to another
-
The water passes from a liquid to a gas.
-
passing through the different stages of human development
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16
[no object]
:
to be good enough
:
to be adequate
-
The work isn't perfect, but it will pass. [=will do]
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17
[+ object]
:
to illegally use (checks, bills, etc., with no real value) as money
-
They were charged with passing bad checks.
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He was trying to pass counterfeit money.
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18
[+ object]
:
to have (something) come out from your body
-
He had been passing blood in his urine. [=blood had been appearing in his urine]
-
pass a kidney stone
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— see also pass gas at 1gas, pass water at 1water
19
[no object]
:
to die
— used as a polite way to avoid saying the word “die”
-
I'm sorry, but your grandfather has passed.
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— see also pass away, pass on (below)
come to pass
— see 1come
pass as
[phrasal verb]
1
pass as (someone or something)
:
to cause people to believe that you are (someone or something that you are not)
-
He thought that growing a mustache would help him pass as an adult.
-
Your mom could pass as your sister!
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2
pass as (something)
:
to be accepted or regarded as (something)
-
the ancient practices that once passed as [=passed for] science
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pass away
[phrasal verb]
:
to die
— used as a polite way to avoid saying the word “die”
-
Her father passed away.
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pass by
[phrasal verb]
pass (someone) by
:
to happen without being noticed or acted upon by (someone)
-
Don't let this opportunity pass (you) by!
-
I realized that I was letting life pass me by.
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— see also 1pass 1a (above)
pass down
[phrasal verb]
pass (something) down
or
pass down (something)
:
to give (something) to a younger person especially within the same family
-
She will pass down her diamond ring to her niece.
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It's a family recipe passed down [=handed down] from my great-grandmother.
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The painting is a family heirloom that has been passed down through the generations.
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pass for
[phrasal verb]
pass for (something)
:
to be accepted or regarded as (something)
-
I can't believe the garbage that's passing for [=passing as] art these days.
-
the tasteless soup that was supposed to pass for our dinner
-
What passes for entertainment around here?
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pass in
[phrasal verb]
pass (something) in
or
pass in (something)
:
to give (something) to a person who will review it
-
Students should pass their papers in before they leave.
-
He passed in [=handed in] his test.
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pass muster
— see 2muster
pass off
[phrasal verb]
1
pass (someone or something) off as (someone or something)
or
pass off (someone or something) as (someone or something)
:
to cause people to wrongly believe that someone or something is someone or something else
-
amateurs passing themselves off as professionals
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He managed to pass himself off as the son of the famous actor.
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She passed the poem off as her own.
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They tried to pass it off as an original painting, but I suspected it was a copy.
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a cheap piece of glass passed off as a diamond
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2
British
:
to happen or take place in a particular way
-
The event passed off [=went off] with no major incidents.
-
The evening passed off quietly.
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pass on
[phrasal verb]
:
to die
— used as a polite way to avoid saying the word “die”
-
Her parents have passed on.
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pass out
[phrasal verb]
1
:
to fall asleep or become unconscious
-
They both passed out in front of the TV.
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I felt like I was going to pass out from exhaustion.
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He drank until he passed out.
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Someone was passed out on the floor. [=someone was lying unconscious on the floor]
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2
pass out (something)
or
pass (something) out
:
to give (something) to several or many people
-
They passed out [=handed out, distributed] copies of the newsletter.
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The teacher hasn't finished passing out the tests yet.
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She passed out flyers at the grocery store.
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pass over
[phrasal verb]
1
pass over (someone)
or
pass (someone) over
:
to not choose (someone) for a job, position, etc.
-
When it came time to select the recipient of the award, the committee once again passed him over. [=the committee did not give him an award]
-
The quarterback was passed over by other teams.
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— often + for
-
She was passed over for another promotion.
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2
pass over (something)
or
pass (something) over
:
to leave out (something)
-
passing over [=skipping] the more boring parts of the book
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:
to not discuss or deal with (something)
-
Let's pass over the technical details and get straight to the parts that really interest you.
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pass the buck
— see 1buck
pass the hat
— see hat
pass the torch
— see 1torch
pass up
[phrasal verb]
pass up (something)
or
pass (something) up
:
to not take or accept (something that is offered to you)
-
We couldn't afford to pass up her offer.
-
Her offer was too good to pass up.
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pass your lips
1
of words
:
to come out of your mouth
:
to be spoken
-
The word “quit” has never passed her lips. [=she has never said the word “quit”]
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2
of food or drink
:
to go into your mouth
:
to be eaten or drunk
-
He refused to let alcohol pass his lips. [=he never drank alcohol]
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2 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
noun
plural
passes
2 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
noun
plural
passes
Britannica Dictionary definition of PASS
[count]
1
sports
:
an act of throwing, hitting, or kicking a ball or puck to a teammate
-
throwing/making/completing a perfect pass to a teammate
-
a forward pass
-
He caught a 20-yard pass from Johnson.
-
The quarterback threw two touchdown passes in the first half of the game.
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— see also bounce pass, screen pass, shovel pass
2
:
a card or ticket which shows that you are allowed to enter or leave a particular place or to ride a vehicle
-
a one-day/weekend/season pass to the amusem*nt park
-
Each new student will be given a bus pass. [=a ticket that permits you to ride the bus]
-
We won backstage passes [=cards that allow you to go behind the stage] for tonight's concert.
-
(US) You have to get a hall pass [=a card that shows you have permission to be out of class during class time] from the teacher.
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— see also boarding pass
3
:
a single, complete set of actions that are done together as a stage in a process
-
The machine is able to print on both sides in a single pass.
-
I did another pass to check for any spelling mistakes in my essay.
-
The error was discovered in the next pass through the data.
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4
:
an act of moving over a place
-
The planes made several passes over the area.
-
The pilot spotted the missing group on a second pass.
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5
chiefly British
:
a grade which shows that you have passed a test or class
-
I got a pass in my History class.
-
The required pass mark was 75 percent.
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make a pass at
:
to do or say something that clearly shows you want to begin a romantic or sexual relationship with (someone)
-
He made a pass at his wife's friend.
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— compare 3pass
3 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
noun
plural
passes
3 pass
/ˈpæs/ Brit /ˈpɑːs/
noun
plural
passes
Britannica Dictionary definition of PASS
1
[count]
:
a low place in a mountain range where a road or path goes through
-
a mountain pass = a pass through the mountains
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2
[singular]
somewhat formal
:
a usually bad situation or condition
-
We had come to a very strange pass.
-
What brought them to such a sorry pass?
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— compare 2pass
