Skip to main content
to pass

to pass

∞ 1.0
To give something to another person
  • verb
  • /pæs/
: pasar
  • Can you pass me my purse underneath there?
  • pass on information
  • pass on knowledge
  • pass a message

And I'm saying so passing this food to me.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I read the manuscript and passed it to Louis for use in his display.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Would you just pass me a few?

  • So they had some kind of way to pass information.

  • I will be sure to pass that on.

  • And how can we pass this knowledge to our computers?

  • Pass it on to your poor old father.

  • In addition, recipients were encouraged to pass the invitation along to other SLPs.

    Academic text (2013)
  • At the church preschool, the teachers focused on the basics needed to pass the interviews.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Scarr had sent me a copy of this letter, which I passed on to Hearnshaw.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Could you please pass the salt during dinner?

Synonyms

to give
vsto pass
∞ 1.0

To hand something to someone, for example a present

focuses broadly on moving or communicating items or information to others
to hand
vsto pass
∞ 1.0

To give something to someone

is the broader action of moving or sharing items or information with others
to communicate
vsto pass
749 2.3

Share information, ideas, or feelings with someone

is narrower, focusing on giving or transferring rather than two-way exchange
to turn over
vsto pass
392 3.2

Give a person or thing to someone else to look after

is less specific, covering any transfer rather than custody or official care changes
to pass on
vsto pass
264 2.7

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

is the general act of transferring or communicating something to someone else
to transmit
vsto pass
240 3.7

To send something from one thing to another, for example a message or disease

is the everyday act of giving or communicating between people rather than technical sending
to carry
vsto pass
111 2.0

Send sound or information from one place to another

is mainly about giving or transmitting things directly between people
to relay
vsto pass
93 3.5

To receive and then pass on a message or signal

is any transfer or communication, not necessarily involving an earlier reception step
to pass along
vsto pass
93 2.5

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

covers any act of giving or communicating, not only relayed transfers
to pass out
vsto pass
78 2.7

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

is broader, covering any giving or communicating act beyond group distribution
to pass around
vsto pass
54 2.1

Hand something to each person in a group

is the general action of transferring that can include single or many recipients
to deliver
vsto pass
  • Formal
42 3.0

To hand someone or something to another person, an authority

is a more general transfer or communication act without formal or official nuances
to pass-back
vsto pass
9 3.4

Give something back to the person who had it

is the wider act of transferring or communicating, not limited to returning items
to put across
vsto pass
6 3.5

Make an idea or opinion clear so others understand

is about moving or handing things or information, not necessarily effective expression
to pass in
vsto pass
  • UK
1 3.4

Give something to a teacher or official for them to check

is the general act of transferring or communicating, not specifically formal submission

Antonyms

204 5.1

Refuse to give something someone wants or needs

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 Formal

to bestow
  • Formal
74 5.6
to present
  • Formal
225 2.7
to pass
∞ 1.0
to hand
∞ 1.0
to give
∞ 1.0

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 move across' or 'go by'. To pass an item to someone is to move it across to them, like handing it over in one action.