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to pass

to pass

∞ 1.0
To move past something or someone
  • verb
  • /pæs/
: pasar
  • In the race, the runners had to pass through several checkpoints.
  • pass through a door
  • pass a car
  • pass through a gate

People were not allowed to pass freely through campus.

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Examples

  • Suddenly she passes right in front of me.

  • People were not allowed to pass freely through campus.

  • And my kid has to pass through that every day.

  • I pass this guy every day on my way to work.

  • Anyone wishing to pass north to south had little choice as to his route.

    Academic text (2012)
  • On the walk to the Belvedere, we passed the house where Galileo lived.

    Academic text (1999)
  • I've needed to pee since we passed the Eiffel Tower.

  • Easterly winds bring precipitation as low-pressure systems pass over open water in the Ross Sea.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Every morning, I pass through the park on my way to work.

  • As the train prepared to leave, we saw it pass through the tunnel.

Synonyms

to cross
vsto pass
∞ 1.0

To go across something from one side to the other

is the general act of traveling past, across, or beyond objects
to come through
vsto pass
401 3.8

To move through something from one side to the other

is the broader notion of passing that also includes simple crossing
to get over
vsto pass
361 3.3

Move across something like a river or mountain

is the more general idea of moving past or through obstacles
to go by
vsto pass
174 1.0

To move past someone or something

is the basic idea of traveling past or across locations
to move through
vsto pass
146 2.1

Pass from one point to another during a journey or process

is the overall term for moving past, across, or through places
to pass by
vsto pass
104 1.2

Go past someone or something without stopping

is the broader action of traveling past or across things
to walk past
vsto pass
97 1.0

To go past something on foot without stopping

covers that movement but also other modes of travel besides walking
to clear
vsto pass
78 3.1

To go over or past something without touching it

is the wider action of moving past or across things
to go past
vsto pass
60 1.0

Move by someone or something without stopping

is the general notion of traveling past, across, or beyond things
to overtake
vsto pass
58 3.3

To catch up with and pass someone moving ahead of you

is the simple passing idea without the catching up element
to get by
vsto pass
47 3.2

Move past someone to go in front

is the neutral travel concept without competitive or physical contest sense
to get across
vsto pass
44 1.8

Move from one side to the other, for example across a road or river

is the wider sense of moving past, across, or through things
to pass over
vsto pass
31 3.3

To move across a place, often above the ground

is the broader movement term that does not imply elevation
to cut across
vsto pass
17 3.2

To go through a place like a park to make a shorter route

is the basic traveling past or across idea without implying shortcut use
to pass through
vsto pass
  • Jargon
11 5.2

To move across an enemy line to reach the other side

is the civilian general sense of moving past or through places
to fly by
vsto pass
7 2.2

To move past something while in the air

is the general movement term that applies to many modes
to transit
vsto pass
5 4.2

To move people or goods through a place on the way to another

is the basic idea of moving past, across, or beyond locations
to move around
vsto pass
1 1.3

To go around something to get to the other side

is the general action of moving past that need not change direction

Idioms

To do very well in a test or task, often easily

Give responsibility for your job to the person who will replace you

6 3.5

To give responsibility or control to another person during a planned change

3 7.8

Seem honest and believable when people check it

do not pass go
  • Informal
3 9.1

To refuse someone any further chance and make them leave immediately

To ask or hope, often in prayer, not to have a hard time

Phrasal Verbs

317 3.7

To faint or lose consciousness suddenly

264 2.7

To give something to another person, often information or a message

242 2.7

To travel through a place without stopping for long

120 3.6

Decide not to accept something, for example an offer or food

104 1.2

Go past someone or something without stopping

97 3.0

Go past without being noticed or taken

93 2.5

Give news, a message, or something you received to another person

93 4.1

To choose not to accept a good offer or chance

78 2.7

To give things to people in a group, like papers or drinks

To make a liquid or gas go through a filter

55 2.8

Give traditions, stories, or things to younger family members

Hand something to each person in a group

Form an opinion about someone or something, often a critical one

37 6.9

To make something or someone look real when they are not

31 3.3

To move across a place, often above the ground

30 4.1

To ignore someone or something on purpose

22 3.5

To slowly disappear or stop existing

20 3.8

To die peacefully in a gentle, respectful way

To be seen as good enough after a check

to pass go
  • Informal
12 6.7

To start the next step of a plan without delay

Make information spread among many people

11 5.2

To move across an enemy line to reach the other side

9 3.4

Give something back to the person who had it

7 5.9

To let gas out from your bottom

5 4.1

To treat criticism or an insult as not important

to pass the hat
  • Informal
4 5.5

To ask people to give money for a person or cause

2 3.7

To move something gently over a surface

to pass up
  • Informal
2 4.7

To ignore someone you meet by pretending not to see them

1 6.5

To let gas from inside your body out through your bottom

1 3.4

Give something to a teacher or official for them to check

to pass down
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Send a value or setting from a main part of a program to its smaller parts

1 7.1

To release gas or a bad smell quietly

1 7.6

To let urine come out of your body

1 3.9

To become less strong over time

Compounds

free pass
  • Informal
37 4.2

An excuse that lets someone avoid rules or blame because of their position

22 2.4

A paper or digital ticket that lets a passenger get on a plane

17 2.3

A written note from a teacher that allows a student to leave class and go into the hallway

14 3.4

A ticket that lets someone enter a place without paying

A low route through mountains that people or vehicles use

Hail Mary pass
  • Informal
5 8.4

A risky final attempt to succeed when little time remains

screen pass
  • Jargon
4 6.1

A short forward pass where teammates block to protect the receiver

pass receiver
  • Jargon
4 3.9

A football player who catches passes from the quarterback

2 3.8

A throw toward the opponent's end to move the ball downfield

2 2.8

A successful forward pass caught by a teammate

2 7.1

A narrow mountain route between Pakistan and Afghanistan used for trade and army movements

pass catcher
  • Jargon
1 5.4

A player who receives forward passes, like a wide receiver or tight end

1 8.0

A high mountain pass near Lake Tahoe where trapped pioneers ate human flesh to survive

pass-through
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A setting that lets signals or data pass through unchanged to another device

low-pass filter
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A device that lets slow changes in signals pass and reduces fast changes

1 3.9

An opening between a kitchen and dining room for passing food

hall pass
  • NSFW
1 8.3

Permission from a partner to be romantic or sexual with someone outside the relationship

1 7.4

A mountain road through the Alps that links Innsbruck in Austria with Bolzano in Italy

kitchen pass
  • Jargon
1 7.9

Permission to stop cooking for a short time, often said as a joke

high-pass filter
  • Specialized
1 4.4

An electronic part that lets high sounds pass and reduces low sounds

pussy pass
  • Slur
1 9.9

Special, unfair treatment given to a woman by others because of her gender

lateral pass
  • Jargon
1 5.8

A pass that goes sideways or backward instead of forward in American football

flare pass
  • Jargon
1 7.0

A short forward pass to a player running toward the sideline in American football

pass-back
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A ball moved backward to a teammate to keep possession

forward pass
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A run of input data through a model to produce predictions

spot pass
  • Jargon
1 5.7

A throw that aims the ball at a planned place for the receiver to catch

1 8.6

A risky pass that puts someone in danger or trouble

4.2

Sending a file back to the person who handled it before for review

How Fast

to run past
21 1.3
to pass
∞ 1.0
to pass by
104 1.2
to walk past
97 1.0
to creep
37 2.5

Surface Forms

pass infinitive
passed past
passed past participle
passing present participle
passes third person singular

Etymology

Pass comes from the Old French passer and the Latin passus, meaning 'to step' or 'go by'. To pass something is to move past or go beyond it, just like taking a step past an object.