pass

1 of 4

verb

ˈpas 

passed; passing; passes

intransitive verb

1

: move, proceed, go

The boat was too tall to pass under the bridge.

2

a

: to go away : depart

the fright passes almost immediately

—Fred Majdalany

b

: die

—often used with on

Her parents have passed on.

3

a

: to move in a path so as to approach and continue beyond something : move past

especially : to move past another vehicle going in the same direction

glowered at the other driver as we passed

b

: to run the normal course

—used of time or a period of time

the hours pass quickly

4

a

: to go or make one's way through

allow no one to pass

b

: to go uncensured, unchallenged, or seemingly unnoticed

let the remark pass

5

: to go from one quality, state, or form to another

passes from a liquid to a gaseous state

6

a

: to sit in inquest (see inquest sense 1) or judgment

b(1)

: to render a decision, verdict, or opinion

the court passed on the legality of wiretapping

(2)

: to become legally rendered

judgment passed for the plaintiff

7

: to go from the control, ownership, or possession of one person or group to that of another

the throne passed to the king's son

title passes to the buyer upon payment in full

8

a

: happen, occur

commenting freely on the transactions as they pass

—W. L. Sperry

b

: to take place or be exchanged as or in a social, personal, or business interaction

words passed

9

a

: to become approved by a legislature or body empowered to sanction or reject

the proposal passed

b

: to undergo an inspection, test, or course of study successfully

took the examination and passed

10

a

: to serve as a medium of exchange

b

: to be accepted or regarded

drivel that passes for literature

c

: to identify oneself or be identified as something one is not

tried to pass as an adult

Mom could pass as my sister

11

a

obsolete : to make a pass (see pass entry 3 sense 5) in fencing

b

: to throw or hit a ball or puck to a teammate

—often used with off

took the ball and quickly passed off to a teammate

12

a(1)

: to decline to bid, double, or redouble in a card game

Her bridge partner passed.

(2)

: to withdraw from the current poker pot

b

: to let something go by without accepting or taking advantage of it

thanks for the offer, but I'll pass

—often used with on

passed on the cheesecake

transitive verb

1

: to go beyond: such as

a

: surpass, exceed

passes all expectations

b

: to advance or develop beyond

c

: to go past (one moving in the same direction)

passed a slower moving car

2

a

: to go by : proceed or extend beyond

pass the school on their way to work

b(1)

obsolete : neglect, omit

(2)

: to omit a regularly scheduled declaration and payment of (a dividend)

3

a

: to go across, over, or through : cross

b

: to live through (something, such as an experience or peril) : undergo

c

: to go through (something, such as a test) successfully

passed the final exams of his courses

4

a

: to secure the approval of

the bill passed the Senate

b

: to cause or permit to win approval or legal or official sanction

pass a law

c

: to give approval or a passing grade to

pass the students

5

a

: to let (time or a period of time) go by especially while involved in a leisure activity

I'll read to pass the time

b

: to let go unnoticed : overlook, disregard

his commander quietly passed his likes or dislikes

—George Meredith

6

a

: pledge

had passed his word that he would repay the debt

b

: to transfer the right to or property in

pass title to a house

7

a

: to put in circulation

pass bad checks

b(1)

: to transfer or transmit from one to another

pass the salt

passing the savings on to customers

(2)

: to relay or communicate (something, such as information) to another

c

: to cause or enable to go : transport

waited till the soldiers and wounded were all passed over

—Walt Whitman

d

: to throw or hit (a ball or puck) especially to a teammate

—often used with off

passed the ball off to his teammate

8

a

: to pronounce (something, such as a sentence or opinion) especially judicially

passed sentence on the convicted man

b

: utter

passed a cutting remark

9

a

: to cause or permit to go past or through a barrier

passed the detectives to view the crime scene

b

: to move or cause to move in a particular manner or direction

passed my hand over my face

pass the rope through the loop

c

: to cause to march or go by in order

pass the troops in review

10

: to emit or discharge from a bodily part and especially the bowels

11

a

: to give a base on balls to

passed two batters

b

: to hit a ball past (an opponent) in a game (such as tennis)

passer noun

pass

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

: a means (such as an opening, road, or channel) by which a barrier may be passed or access to a place may be gained

especially : a low place in a mountain range

2

: a position to be held usually against odds

pass

3 of 4

noun (2)

plural passes

1

: realization

brought his dream to pass

2

: the act or an instance of passing : passage

3

: a usually distressing or bad state of affairs

what has brought you to such a pass?

4

a

: a written permission to move about freely in a place or to leave or enter it

b

: a written leave of absence from a military post or station for a brief period

c

: a permit or ticket allowing free transportation or free admission

5

archaic : a thrust or lunge in fencing

6

a

: a transference of objects by sleight of hand or other deceptive means

b

: a moving of the hands over or along something

7

archaic : an ingenious sally (as of wit)

8

: the passing of an examination or course of study

also : the mark or certification of such passing

9

: a single complete mechanical operation

also : a single complete cycle of operations (as for processing, manufacturing, or printing)

10

a(1)

: a transfer of a ball or a puck from one player to another on the same team

(2)

: a ball or puck so transferred

b

: passing shot

11

: base on balls

12

a

: an instance of letting something (such as an offer or opportunity) go by without accepting or taking advantage of it

Jackson toured the place with top designers, and execs looked over his … toy that resembled an animal. Mattel took a pass [=turned down the offer] and Jackson took the rejection well.

—Pamela Lansden

President Donald Trump is expected to take a pass on handing out this year's National Teacher of the Year award honors—forgoing a tradition that dates to President Harry Truman.

—Kimberly Hefling

b

: an election not to bid, bet, or draw an additional card in a card game

13

: a throw of dice in the game of craps that wins the bet for the shooter compare crap entry 3 sense 2, missout

14

: a single passage or movement (as of an airplane) over a place or toward a target

15

a

: effort, try

b

: a sexually inviting gesture or approach

16

: pase

pass

4 of 4

abbreviation

passenger

Phrases

pass muster

: to gain approval or acceptance

His cooking could pass muster in an expensive French restaurant.

pass the buck

: to shift a responsibility to someone else

Stop trying to pass the buck and take responsibility for what you did.

pass the hat

: to take up a collection for money

passed the hat for families affected by the disaster

pass the time of day

: to exchange greetings or engage in pleasant conversation

passed the time of day with friends in the park

Synonyms

Verb

• buck
• hand
• hand over
• reach
• transfer

Noun (1)

• canyon
• cañon
• col
• couloir
• defile
• flume
• gap
• gill [British]
• gorge
• gulch
• gulf
• kloof [South African]
• linn [chiefly Scottish]
• notch
• ravine
• saddle

Noun (2)

• check
• coupon
• pasteboard
• ticket

Examples of pass in a Sentence

Verb

The boat was too tall to pass beneath the bridge.

A flock of geese were passing overhead.

They pass the library every morning on their way to school.

The ships passed each other in the night.

We passed each other in the hallway without looking up.

She passed two other runners just before the finish line.

He passed the slower cars on the highway.

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.

Noun (1)

a mountain pass that was impassable during the winter

take the second pass on the right

Noun (2)

a pass to leave the military base for the weekend

a final pass at the assignment

eventually, all their career goals came to pass

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Elton John, Slash, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Harrison, and David Crosby are just a few of the big names who pass through on the star-studded Under the Red Sky, rarely making recognizable or worthwhile contributions to a set of songs that frequently reference nursery rhymes. —Al Shipley, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024

Edwards says that regular tea bags are unlikely to make an enjoyable second cup of tea, but pyramid tea bags—larger, triangular bags that allow for more water to pass through the tea—may yield a few good cups of tea. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2024

Noun

The Cleveland Browns intercept six passes, one of which is returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Don Paul, in a 38-14 victory over the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL championship. —Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024

The 49ers have been like Scrooge to opposing QBs, allowing under 200 yards and one TD pass per week. —Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French passer, from Vulgar Latin *passare, from Latin passus step — more at pace

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French pas, from Latin passus

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pass

• backstage pass
• band-pass filter
• boarding pass
• bounce pass
• bus pass
• come to pass
• drop pass
• forward pass
• Hail Mary pass
• hall pass
• hard pass
• inbounds pass
• jump pass
• make a pass at
• outlet pass
• pass as
• pass away
• pass by
• pass degree
• pass-fail
• pass for
• pass into history
• pass into law
• pass into the hands of
• pass it on
• pass judgment on
• pass off
• pass on
• pass out
• pass over
• pass sentence
• pass (someone or something) off as
• pass someone's lips
• pass (something) down
• pass (something) in
• pass the time
• pass the torch (on)
• pass-through
• pass-through entity
• pass unnoticed
• pass up
• pass water
• play-action pass
• screen pass
• shovel pass
• spot pass
• Take a hard pass
• take a pass
• took a pass
• will pass

Kids Definition

pass

1 of 3 verb

ˈpas 

1

: move entry 1 sense 2, proceed

2

a

: to go away

the pain will soon pass

b

: die entry 1 sense 1

—often used with on

3

: to go by or beyond or move past

4

: to go or allow to go across, over, or through

let no one pass

5

: to change or transfer ownership or possession

recipes passed down through the family

6

: happen sense 2, occur

7

a

: to gain the approval of a legislative body

the bill passed both houses

b

: to approve officially

pass a new law

8

: to go or allow to go through an examination or course of study successfully

passed my French course

9

: to cause to be considered

passed for an expert

10

: to transfer or become transferred from one person to another

pass the butter

pass a football

11

: to decide not to bid, bet, or draw in a card game

12

: to cause or permit to elapse : spend

pass time

13

: to state judicially

pass sentence

passer noun

pass

2 of 3 noun

1

: passage sense 2a, way

2

: a gap in a mountain range

pass

3 of 3 noun

1

: the act or an instance of passing : passage

2

: accomplishment sense 1, realization

—used in the phrases come to pass and bring to pass

3

: situation sense 3, condition

have come to a strange pass

4

: a written permission to enter or leave or to move about freely

a soldier's three-day pass

5

: a moving of the hands over or along something

6

: a transfer of a ball or puck from one player to another

especially : forward pass

7

: base on balls

8

: an act of passing in a card game

9

: effort sense 2, try

make a pass at it

Medical Definition

pass

transitive verb

ˈpas 

: to emit or discharge from a bodily part and especially from the bowels : evacuate sense 2, void

Legal Definition

pass

intransitive verb

1

a

: to issue a decision, verdict, or opinion

the Supreme Court passed on a statute

b

: to be legally issued

judgment passed by default

2

: to go from the control, ownership, or possession of one person or group to that of another

title passes to the buyer

transitive verb

1

: to omit a regularly scheduled declaration and payment of (a dividend)

2

a

: to get the approval of

the bill passed the House

b

: to give approval or legal sanction to

the House passed the bill

3

: to transfer the right to or interest in

the sale passes the title to the goods

4

: to put in circulation

pass bad checks

compare utter

5

: to pronounce (as a sentence or judgment) judicially