catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Pass \Pass\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Passed; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Passing.] [F. passer, LL. passare, fr. L. passus step, or
     from pandere, passum, to spread out, lay open. See Pace.]
     1. To go; to move; to proceed; to be moved or transferred
        from one point to another; to make a transit; -- usually
        with a following adverb or adverbal phrase defining the
        kind or manner of motion; as, to pass on, by, out, in,
        etc.; to pass swiftly, directly, smoothly, etc.; to pass
        to the rear, under the yoke, over the bridge, across the
        field, beyond the border, etc. ``But now pass over [i. e.,
        pass on].'' --Chaucer.
  
              On high behests his angels to and fro Passed
              frequent.                             --Milton.
  
              Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths, And
              from their bodies passed.             --Coleridge.
  
     2. To move or be transferred from one state or condition to
        another; to change possession, condition, or
        circumstances; to undergo transition; as, the business has
        passed into other hands.
  
              Others, dissatisfied with what they have, . . . pass
              from just to unjust.                  --Sir W.
                                                    Temple.
  
     3. To move beyond the range of the senses or of knowledge; to
        pass away; hence, to disappear; to vanish; to depart;
        specifically, to depart from life; to die.
  
              Disturb him not, let him pass paceably. --Shak.
  
              Beauty is a charm, but soon the charm will pass.
                                                    --Dryden.
  
              The passing of the sweetest soul That ever looked
              with human eyes.                      --Tennyson.
  
     4. To move or to come into being or under notice; to come and
        go in consciousness; hence, to take place; to occur; to
        happen; to come; to occur progressively or in succession;
        to be present transitorily.
  
              So death passed upon all men.         --Rom. v. 12.
  
              Our own consciousness of what passes within our own
              mind.                                 --I. Watts.
  
     5. To go by or glide by, as time; to elapse; to be spent; as,
        their vacation passed pleasantly.
  
              Now the time is far passed.           --Mark vi. 35
  
     6. To go from one person to another; hence, to be given and
        taken freely; as, clipped coin will not pass; to obtain
        general acceptance; to be held or regarded; to circulate;
        to be current; -- followed by for before a word denoting
        value or estimation. ``Let him pass for a man.'' --Shak.
  
              False eloquence passeth only where true is not
              understood.                           --Felton.
  
              This will not pass for a fault in him. --Atterbury.
  
     7. To advance through all the steps or stages necessary to
        validity or effectiveness; to be carried through a body
        that has power to sanction or reject; to receive
        legislative sanction; to be enacted; as, the resolution
        passed; the bill passed both houses of Congress.
  
     8. To go through any inspection or test successfully; to be
        approved or accepted; as, he attempted the examination,
        but did not expect to pass.
  
     9. To be suffered to go on; to be tolerated; hence, to
        continue; to live along. ``The play may pass.'' --Shak.
  
     10. To go unheeded or neglected; to proceed without hindrance
         or opposition; as, we let this act pass.
  
     11. To go beyond bounds; to surpass; to be in excess. [Obs.]
         ``This passes, Master Ford.'' --Shak.
  
     12. To take heed; to care. [Obs.]
  
               As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass not.
                                                    --Shak.
  
     13. To go through the intestines. --Arbuthnot.
  
     14. (Law) To be conveyed or transferred by will, deed, or
         other instrument of conveyance; as, an estate passes by a
         certain clause in a deed. --Mozley & W.
  
     15. (Fencing) To make a lunge or pass; to thrust.
  
     16. (Card Playing & other games) To decline to take an
         optional action when it is one's turn, as to decline to
         bid, or to bet, or to play a card; in euchre, to decline
         to make the trump.
  
               She would not play, yet must not pass. --Prior.
  
     17. In football, hockey, etc., to make a pass; to transfer
         the ball, etc., to another player of one's own side.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     To bring to pass, To come to pass. See under Bring, and
        Come.
  
     To pass away, to disappear; to die; to vanish. ``The
        heavens shall pass away.'' --2 Pet. iii. 10. ``I thought
        to pass away before, but yet alive I am.'' --Tennyson.
  
     To pass by, to go near and beyond a certain person or
        place; as, he passed by as we stood there.
  
     To pass into, to change by a gradual transmission; to blend
        or unite with.
  
     To pass on, to proceed.
  
     To pass on or upon.
         (a) To happen to; to come upon; to affect. ``So death
             passed upon all men.'' --Rom. v. 12. ``Provided no
             indirect act pass upon our prayers to define them.''
             --Jer. Taylor.
         (b) To determine concerning; to give judgment or sentence
             upon. ``We may not pass upon his life.'' --Shak.
  
     To pass off, to go away; to cease; to disappear; as, an
        agitation passes off.
  
     To pass over, to go from one side or end to the other; to
        cross, as a river, road, or bridge.

  Passing \Pass"ing\, adv.
     Exceedingly; excessively; surpassingly; as, passing fair;
     passing strange. ``You apprehend passing shrewdly.'' --Shak.

  Passing \Pass"ing\, n.
     The act of one who, or that which, passes; the act of going
     by or away.
  
     Passing bell, a tolling of a bell to announce that a soul
        is passing, or has passed, from its body (formerly done to
        invoke prayers for the dying); also, a tolling during the
        passing of a funeral procession to the grave, or during
        funeral ceremonies. --Sir W. Scott. --Longfellow.

  Passing \Pass"ing\, a.
     1. Relating to the act of passing or going; going by, beyond,
        through, or away; departing.
  
     2. Exceeding; surpassing, eminent. --Chaucer. ``Her passing
        deformity.'' --Shak.
  
     Passing note (Mus.), a character including a passing tone.
        
  
     Passing tone (Mus.), a tone introduced between two other
        tones, on an unaccented portion of a measure, for the sake
        of smoother melody, but forming no essential part of the
        harmony.