Word family noun pass overpass ≠ underpass passage passing adjective passing passable ≠ impassable verb pass
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpassagepas‧sage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ ●●○ W2 noun 1 in a building [countable]DHH a long narrow area with walls on either side which connects one room or place to another → corridor My office is just along the passage. We walked down a narrow passage to the back of the building. an underground passage2 from a book etc [countable]ALTCN a short part of a book, poem, speech, piece of music etcpassage from/of He read out a short passage from the Bible.3 movement [uncountable] formalGO the movement of people or vehicles along a road or across an area of landpassage of The bridge isn’t strong enough to allow the passage of heavy vehicles. Both sides agreed to allow the free passage of medical supplies into the area. He was guaranteed safe passage out of the country.4 of a law [uncountable]PGPSCL when a new law is discussed and accepted by a parliament or Congresspassage through The bill was amended several times during its passage through Congress. They are expecting the new legislation to have quite a rough passage (=be discussed and criticized a lot) through Parliament.5 journey [countable]TTW old-fashioned a journey on a shippassage to My parents couldn’t afford the passage to America. 6 inside somebody’s bodyHBH [countable] a tube in your body that air or liquid can pass through the nasal passages7 way through [singular]WAY/ROUTE a way through somethingpassage through The police forced a passage through the crowd.8 → the passage of time → rite of passage at rite(2)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesnarrowA narrow passage led to a small room at the back of the house.darkHe groped his way along the dark passage.an underground/subterranean passageThe air in these underground passages is cold and damp.a secret passageThe bookcase moved to reveal a secret passage.phrasesa maze of passages (=many passages, in which it is easy to get lost)We wandered through a maze of passages. Examples from the Corpus
passage• a passage from the Bible• This blocks up the jets and air passages in the carb leading to the engine stopping.• Both passages begin with need and with complaint.• Of course, when the king asked for passage, the ferryman handed him the oars.• nasal passages• The refugees risked crossing the dangerous ocean passage to Florida.• The sun rose as the Delta Queen made steady passage up the Ohio River.• They sat in a dark room, the only light coming from a candle burning in the passage outside.• The passages that led to the main suite were stark and uncarpeted, the room he was led into the same.• In March, the district won passage of a $47 million measure to repair city streets.passage from/of• It was a passage from midway through Book One.• Lott has promised a Senate vote by early next March, but passage of a bill is far from certain.• The narrative is frequently interrupted by passages of scientific exegesis in a completely different register from the surrounding discourse.• Kenen retired in 1974, shortly before the final passage of the Jackson-Vanik amendment.• But the passage of such legislation did not lead to significant changes in gun ownership.• He then cited the passage from Story, Equity Jurisprudence and made the comment to which I have already referred.• As has already been said, claims rarely, if ever, improve with the passage of time.• With the passage of the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 the condition of labourers deteriorated still further.passage of• Despite the passage of half a century, tension still exists between the two countries.rough passage• It was like coming to harbour after a rough passage - with an armful of comfort to hand.• To get there would be a rough passage, and the return tortuous.From Longman Business Dictionarypassagepas‧sage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ noun [uncountable] LAW the progress of a law, bill etc through parliament before it takes effectA month after its passage, Italy’s insider-trading law is continuing to stir debate.passage ofOne result of the oil crisis could be a slowdown in the passage of a tougher Clean Air Act.Origin passage (1200-1300) Old French passer; → PASS1 