pass

1.
v. & n.
—v. (past part. passed) (see also PAST).
1 intr. (often foll. by along, by, down, on, etc.) move onward; proceed, esp. past some point of reference (saw the procession passing).
2 tr. a go past; leave (a thing etc.) on one side or behind in proceeding. b overtake, esp. in a vehicle. c go across (a frontier, mountain range, etc.).
3 intr. & tr. be transferred or cause to be transferred from one person or place to another (pass the butter; the title passes to his son).
4 tr. surpass; be too great for (it passes my comprehension).
5 intr. get through; effect a passage.
6 intr. a be accepted as adequate; go uncensored (let the matter pass). b (foll. by as, for) be accepted or currently known as. c US (of a person with some Black ancestry) be accepted as White.
7 tr. move; cause to go (passed her hand over her face; passed a rope round it).
8 a intr. (of a candidate in an examination) be successful. b tr. be successful in (an examination). c tr. (of an examiner) judge the performance of (a candidate) to be satisfactory.
9 a tr. (of a bill) be examined and approved by (a parliamentary body or process). b tr. cause or allow (a bill) to proceed to further legislative processes. c intr. (of a bill or proposal) be approved.
10 intr. a occur, elapse (the remark passed unnoticed; time passes slowly). b happen; be done or said (heard what passed between them).
11 a intr. circulate; be current. b tr. put into circulation (was passing forged cheques).
12 tr. spend or use up (a certain time or period) (passed the afternoon reading).
13 tr. (also absol.) (in field games) send (the ball) to another player of one's own side.
14 intr. forgo one's turn or chance in a game etc.
15 intr. (foll. by to, into) change from one form (to another).
16 intr. come to an end.
17 tr. discharge from the body as or with excreta.
18 tr. (foll. by on, upon) a utter (criticism) about. b pronounce (a judicial sentence) on.
19 intr. (often foll. by on, upon) adjudicate.
20 tr. not declare or pay (a dividend).
21 tr. cause (troops etc.) to go by esp. ceremonially.
—n.
1 an act or instance of passing.
2 a success in an examination. b Brit. the status of a university degree without honours.
3 written permission to pass into or out of a place, or to be absent from quarters.
4 a a ticket or permit giving free entry or access etc. b = free pass.
5 (in field games) a transference of the ball to another player on the same side.
6 a thrust in fencing.
7 a juggling trick.
8 an act of passing the hands over anything, as in conjuring or hypnotism.
9 a critical position (has come to a fine pass).
Phrases and idioms:
in passing
1 by the way.
2 in the course of speech, conversation, etc. make a pass at colloq. make amorous or sexual advances to.
pass away
1 euphem. die.
2 cease to exist; come to an end.
pass by
1 go past.
2 disregard, omit. passed pawn Chess a pawn that has advanced beyond the pawns on the other side. pass one's eye over read (a document etc.) cursorily. pass muster see MUSTER.
pass off
1 (of feelings etc.) disappear gradually.
2 (of proceedings) be carried through (in a specified way).
3 (foll. by as) misrepresent (a person or thing) as something else.
4 evade or lightly dismiss (an awkward remark etc.). pass on 1 proceed on one's way.
2 euphem. die.
3 transmit to the next person in a series.
pass out
1 become unconscious.
2 Brit. Mil. complete one's training as a cadet.
3 distribute.
pass over
1 omit, ignore, or disregard.
2 ignore the claims of (a person) to promotion or advancement.
3 euphem. die.
pass round
1 distribute.
2 send or give to each of a number in turn. pass through experience. pass the time of day see TIME. pass up colloq. refuse or neglect (an opportunity etc.). pass water urinate.
Derivatives:
passer n.
Etymology: ME f. OF passer ult. f. L passus PACE(1)
2.
n.
1 a narrow passage through mountains.
2 a navigable channel, esp. at the mouth of a river.
Phrases and idioms:
sell the pass betray a cause.
Etymology: ME, var. of PACE(1), infl. by F pas and by PASS(1)