Word family noun pass overpass ≠ underpass passage passing adjective passing passable ≠ impassable verb pass
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpasspass1 /pɑːs $ pæs/ ●●● S1 W1 verb 1 go past [intransitive, transitive]PASS/GO PAST to come up to a particular place, person, or object and go past them The crowd parted to let the truck pass. He gave me a smile as he passed. We passed a group of students outside the theatre. I pass the sports centre on the way to work.2 move/go [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]GO to go or travel along or through a place He passed along the corridor to a small room at the back of the building. We passed through the gates into a courtyard behind. We were just passing through (=travelling through a place) and thought we’d drop in to see you.3 put [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something around, through, or across something else He passed the rope carefully around the post.4 road/river etc [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]GO a road, river, or railway line that passes a place goes through or near the place The road passes right through the town centre. The main railway line passes just north of Manchester.5 give [transitive]GIVE to hold something in your hand and give it to someone else Pass the salt, please.pass somebody something Can you pass me that bag by your feet?pass something to somebody She passed a cup of tea to the headmaster. I passed the note back to her. → pass around6 give information [transitive always + adverb/preposition]SEND to give information or a job to another person so that they can deal with itpass something (on/over/back) to somebody I’ll pass the information on to our sales department. They’ve passed the enquiry over to the police. 7 time a) [intransitive]PASS/TIME PASSING if time passes, it goes by The days passed slowly. She became more ambitious as the years passed. They sat in silence while the minutes passed. Hardly a day passes without more bad news about the economy (=there is bad news almost every day). b) [transitive]SPEND TIME if you pass time or pass your life in a particular way, you spend it in that way We passed the winter pleasantly enough. We played cards to pass the time (=to help us stop feeling bored).RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that they spend time doing something rather than pass time:I spent the whole day watching TV.8 exam/test a) SEPASS A TEST[intransitive, transitive] to succeed in an examination or test OPP fail Did you pass all your exams? He hasn’t passed his driving test yet. She passed with flying colours (=got very high marks). b) [transitive]SEPASS A TEST to officially decide that someone has succeeded in an examination or test OPP fail The examiners will only pass you if they feel that you have done the work properly.9 law/proposal a) [transitive]PGPSCL to officially accept a law or proposal, especially by voting Plans to extend the hotel have now been passed. The motion was passed by 16 votes to 11.pass a law/bill/act The first Transport Act was passed in 1907. The government has passed new legislation to protect consumers. The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution asking the two countries to resume peace negotiations. b) [intransitive, transitive] especially American EnglishSCLPG if a law or proposal passes an official group, it is officially accepted by that group The bill failed to pass the House of Representatives.► see thesaurus at approve10 happen [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] writtenSPREAD if something passes between people, they speak to each other or do something togetherpass between A glance of recognition passed between them. Please say nothing of what has passed here today.11 → pass a remark/comment12 → let something pass13 end [intransitive]FINISH/COME TO AN END to end or stop After a couple of hours the storm passed. The feeling of sickness soon passed. 14 sport [intransitive, transitive]DS to kick, throw, or hit a ball to a member of your own team during a gamepass to He passed to Beckham on the edge of the penalty area.pass something to somebody Are you allowed to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper?► see thesaurus at throw15 more than [transitive]MORE THAN A NUMBER OR AMOUNT to become more than a particular number or amount The number of unemployed has passed the two million mark for the first time.16 → pass unnoticed17 → pass the time of day (with somebody)18 change control [intransitive always + preposition] formalSCLB to change from being controlled or owned by one person to being controlled or owned by someone elsepass to The land will pass to my son when I die. Control of these services has now passed into the hands of the local authorities.19 change [intransitive always + preposition] formalHCONDITION/STATE OF something to change from one state or condition into anotherpass from/to The chemical passes from a liquid to a solid state during the cooling process.20 → pass (a) sentence (on somebody)21 → pass judgment (on somebody)22 give no answer [intransitive]NOT KNOW to give no answer to a question because you do not know the answer ‘Who won the World Cup in 1998?’ ‘Pass.’ 23 not accept [intransitive] to not accept an invitation or offerpass on I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on that offer of coffee.24 → not pass somebody’s lips25 waste matter [transitive] medicalHBH to let out a waste substance from your bladder or bowels See your doctor immediately if you pass any blood. He was having difficulty passing water (=letting out urine).26 → come to pass → pass muster at muster2(1), → pass the buck at buck1(3) → pass something ↔ around → pass as somebody/something → pass away → pass by → pass something ↔ down → pass for somebody/something → pass off → pass on → pass out → pass over → pass something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
pass• Do you think you'll pass?• "I'm taking my driving test today." "Do you think you'll pass?"• He drums his fingers on the chairback as he passes.• Moreover, the most important legislation for bond market investors -- the 1996 budget bill -- has already been passed.• This falling from the branch business, she thought, made you realise how the years were passing.• Taylor receive discounts from publishers, which they agree to pass along to customers.• Actually, they ran better than they passed, although they passed spectacularly on occasion.• Congress has passed an education-reform law.• Each car has to be passed by a team of inspectors before it leaves the factory.• Dan's worried he won't pass calculus.• I pass her house every day on my way to work.• His blood pressure was rather high so the doctor couldn't pass him as fit for the job.• If he stays injury-free, Stumpel should pass his personal best of 76 points.• Dr. Todd said the pain would pass in a day or two.• Who ever had it then still had it, or had passed it on.• In August that year $ 25 million worth of vaccine was backlogged and in danger of passing its six-month expiration date.• Hey, pass me the ball!• As time passes, the disease progresses through several distinct stages.• I'll get you some aspirin - I pass the drugstore on the way to work.• Ellis quickly passed the note to the woman, looking around to check that no one had noticed.• Could you pass the salt, please?• "Do you want to go fishing Saturday?" "Sorry, I'll have to pass this time."• Details of the attack had been passed to enemy agents.• Johnson passes to White, White passes to Eliot, and Eliot scores!• A big Cadillac passed us as we walked up the hill.• A police car passed us doing 90 miles an hour.just passing through• Like Florida tourists, some of the avian visitors are just passing through.• Once again, remember: you're just passing through.• Remember: You are just passing through.• I'm just passing through on my way to Tulsa.• Some are summer or winter visitors, while others are just passing through on their journey north or south.• They were just passing through, so there was nothing to get excited about.• However, if these observations can be made by somebody just passing through the service, surely something is wrong.passes ... through• A wave of fear suddenly passes through Primo.• It passes quickly through the body.• The moving phase is a gaS which passes through the column.• It passes through the confining layer somewhere above the aquifer.• If the light passes through the egg, it is infertile.• The oxygen ion passes through the membrane and emerges on the other side as pure oxygen gas.• Little that is unfathomable or startling passes through the mind of a Minister preparing legislation.• The release pin holds the pack closed as it passes through this loop after securing the eyelets. pass somebody something• Could you pass me that pen over there?pass something (on/over/back) to somebody• They passed close to her, where she crouched still in the bushes.• I calmly passed the gun back to him.• At two Mina was passed from father to husband.• I tried to pass on to Louie everything I knew about the business.• One of the most important gifts a teacher can pass on to pupils is a sense of control over one's life.• Oliver passed the receiver to Rain.• Maybe Sandler got out of the curse by passing it off to them?to pass the time• A guard moved alongside, peering in that inquisitive way, like what do we have here to pass the time.• It helps to pass the time.• It was at such times that I seriously considered taking up smoking myself, just to pass the time.• Karma Rubbish smokes at the end of the garden, cracking its knuckles to pass the time.• That seemed reasonable to the princess, so she climbed a tree and set about spinning to pass the time.• The people played games to pass the time during the winter too.• More than just helping to pass the time, he discovers that making up stories can be a pleasure in itself.• He jumps off waterfalls to pass the time of day. passed with flying colours• Fortunately, like the other tests, the 31-year-old convent-educated beauty passed with flying colours.pass a law/bill/act• Catholics passed laws against intermarriage between people of the two faiths.• In due course, the government's response was to pass a law and appoint an Alkali Inspector named Angus Smith.• We pass laws in a bid to create a peaceful society.• At the same time, Congress passed an act reducing tariff rates.• It passes a law saying that all envelopes must be left unsealed, so that it can open letters with ease.• The 35-year veteran of Capitol Hill can not brag that he knows how to pass bills through the Senate.• State legislatures, in the meantime, have been passing laws to make such consolidations and cooperation easier.• Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan all passed laws to restrict benefits and introduce time limits.pass between• Not many words passed between us during the trip home. passed the ... mark• In 1975 the total was £1149, last year we made £7000, and this year we have passed the £8000 mark.• Membership had passed the 100 mark already.• In 1976, unemployment in Britain passed the one-million mark for the first time since the Second World War.• Enroute to amassing that sum, the second highest of his career, he passed the £1 million mark in career earnings.• The proportion of Sinhalese policemen passed the fifty percent mark in the 1920s, and continued to rise thereafter.• Border had not passed the 50 mark since his first innings of the tour against Somerset.passed into the hands of• Disposal No. 1-20 passed into the hands of London Transport and for the next few months continued to work as before.pass from/to• When water freezes, it passes from a liquid to a solid state.• The college is also considering issuing passes to all full-time students.• He was passed from embrace to loving embrace.• The title passes from father to son.• Both quarterbacks were throwing big passes to guys wearing Dallas uniforms.• Most of the time they are passed from one family member to another.• Such tastes are passed from one generation to the other, reinforced by the environment in which a family exists.• Boss died in 1948, and the company passed to the next two generations.• In addition, data could be passed to the police, private detectives or computer database holders.• Signals are passed from the recorder to the playback controller and then to a stereo ready monitor. pass on• I'm grateful for everything that has been said today, and I will be sure to pass it on.• There's only one copy of the leaflet, so when you've read it please pass it on.• When he gave up playing football, he passed on all his gear to me.• Officials admitted that they failed to pass on important information.• Please pass on my sympathy to Mr and Mrs Stanton.• Could you pass on my thanks for all these lovely gifts?• I had to pass on the last question.• He was accused of stealing secret documents and passing them on to the enemy.• She said she'd pass the message on to the other students.• It was discovered that he had been passing secrets on to the Russians whilst working at the Pentagon.passing water• He was passing water painfully and he couldn't sleep.• Indeed, she had been one of those in the chain passing water to the house from the pond.passpass2 ●●● S2 W3 noun [countable] 1 documentPGOLET/ALLOW an official piece of paper which shows that you are allowed to enter a building or travel on something without paying The guard checked our passes. They issued us with free passes to the theatre. You can buy a cheap one-day bus pass.2 exam/testSE a successful result in an examination OPP fail You will need at least three passes to get onto the course.pass in Did you get a pass in English? The pass mark (=the mark you need to be successful) is 55%.3 sportDS when you kick, throw, or hit a ball to another member of your team during a game That was a brilliant pass by Holden.4 → make a pass at somebody5 road/pathDNWAY/ROUTE a high road or path that goes between mountains to the other side a narrow, winding mountain pass6 stagePART one part of a process that involves dealing with the whole of a group or thing several times On the first pass we eliminated all the candidates who didn’t have the right experience. 7 aircraft a movement in which an aircraft flies once over a place which it is attacking8 → come to a pretty/sorry passExamples from the Corpus
pass• He has completed 121 of 218 passes for 1,354 yards and eight touchdowns with five interceptions this season.• Students must obtain a pass before leaving campus.• He looks too much to make a big pass rather than do what comes naturally, which is score.• The harvester moved round the field in a strict square, so that the standing crop grew smaller and smaller with every pass.• Comet Shoemaker-Levy passed through our solar system and crashed into Jupiter July 16,1994.• This is a classic hail Mary pass.• a narrow mountain pass• They scored a direct hit of the target on their second pass.• The Bruins set up a play for Johnson in the low post, but Dollar traveled while trying to make the pass.• Davis scored on a 40-yard pass from Elway.bus pass• I can't even get a bus pass.• I got a social worker and she suggested I get a bus pass, so I could get to town.• All the aggravation about replacing by bus pass, credit cards and library cards etc, all because I was thoughtless.• You can use your included Canal Bus Pass to hop on and off the Rembrandt cruise.• They may soon be getting free bus passes but they know how to rock.• Townspeople are being asked to sign a petition to help save the bus passes of Langbaurgh's 22,000 pensioners and disabled.• Surely he would be better advised to start a new series with Bus Pass Wish One.pass mark• It is not a pass mark and yet all children are supposed to aspire to it.• How would students react to you setting a pass mark of say 80%?• He completed 192 of 303 throws for 3,023 yards and 28 touchdowns, the second-best passing mark in the nation.• Her passing marks a loss for those everywhere who love the printed word, and Tucson is the poorer for it.• But he did not pass Mark.• Instead, the pass mark was set higher for girls!• For example, what pass mark would they set for an examination they are about to sit?From Longman Business Dictionarypasspass1 /pɑːspæs/ verb1[transitive] if an official group passes a law, proposal etc, or it passes that group, it is accepted by them, especially by votingShareholders of Fibreboard Corp. narrowly passed a measure doubling the shares in the company’s employee stock option plan.Congress this year will pass a bill giving banks permission to open branches nationwide.Legislation similar to the anti-price-fixing bill passed the Senate last month.2[intransitive, transitive] to succeed in an examination, test etcPolicyholders must pass a medical to qualify for lower insurance rates.How could faulty valves have passed the inspections?3[transitive] to give someone a piece of information, knowledge, a message etc that has been received from someone elsepass something to/onto etcThe transmitters pass phone calls to and from cellular phones.Firms can’t pass information onto third parties until it is released by the stockmarket’s own news service.pass something on/alongEmployees were suspected of passing on confidential documents.4[intransitive]LAW to go officially from one person’s control or ownership to someone else’sSales will be recognised when title (=ownership) passes or when the contract is signed.pass toThe property had passed to him after his father’s death.5pass a dividendFINANCE to fail to pay the DIVIDEND on a share (=the part of the profit paid to shareholders) in a particular period of time, usually because of financial difficultiesThe steelwork group is passing its final dividend after profits plunged last year. 6[intransitive, transitive] if a particular date or time passes, or you pass it, it goes by and is in the pastThe IRS will permit an extension of time for certain actions even after the deadline has passed.7pass 500/pass the $2,000 mark etc to go above a particular amount, number or level, as a total gradually increasesAluminum prices passed $1 a pound last week, a rise of 43% since March.Israel’s population passed the six million mark in 1999. → pass something ↔ on → pass something ↔ off → pass somebody over → pass something through something → pass up→ See Verb tablepasspass2 noun [countable] a special document containing a person’s name and often their photograph, showing that they are allowed to enter a particular building, travel somewhere etcSimply present your Executive Club card andboarding pass (=one that allows you to get on a plane) to receive a complimentary drink.Origin pass1 (1200-1300) Old French passer, from Vulgar Latin passare, from Latin passus “step” pass2 1. (1400-1500) → PASS12. (1200-1300) Old French pas, from Latin passus; → PASS1 