noun
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(baseball) an advance to first base by a batter who receives four balls (syn: walk)-
(military) a written leave of absencehe had a pass for three days
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(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate (syn: passing)the coach sent in a passing play on third and long
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the location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks (syn: notch)we got through the pass before it started to snow
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any authorization to pass or go somewhere (syn: passport)the pass to visit had a strict time limit
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a document indicating permission to do something without restrictionsthe media representatives had special passes
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a flight or run by an aircraft over a targetthe plane turned to make a second pass
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a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs (syn: strait, straits)-
a difficult juncture (syn: head, straits)a pretty pass
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one complete cycle of operations (as by a computer)it was not possible to complete the computation in a single pass
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an automatic advance to the next round in a tournament without playing an opponent (syn: bye)-
a permit to enter or leave a military installationhe had to show his pass in order to get out
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a complimentary ticketthe star got passes for his family
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a usually brief attempt (syn: crack, fling, go, offer, whirl)-
(sports) the act of throwing the ball to another member of your team (syn: flip, toss)the pass was fumbled
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success in satisfying a test or requirement (syn: passing, qualifying)his future depended on his passing that test
he got a pass in introductory chemistry
verb
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go across or throughWe passed the point where the police car had parked
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move past (syn: go by, pass by, surpass)A black limousine passed by when she looked out the window
He passed his professor in the hall
One line of soldiers surpassed the other
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make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation (syn: legislate)They passed the amendment
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pass by (syn: elapse, go along, go by, lapse, slip away, slip by)-
place into the hands or custody of (syn: give, hand, pass on, reach, turn over)-
stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point (syn: extend, go, lead, run)-
travel past (syn: overhaul, overtake)The sports car passed all the trucks
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come to pass (syn: come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass off)-
go unchallenged; be approved (syn: clear)-
use up a period of time in a specific way (syn: spend)-
pass over, across, or through (syn: draw, guide, run)-
transmit information (syn: communicate, pass on, put across)pass along the good news
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disappear gradually (syn: blow over, evanesce, fade, fleet, pass off)The pain eventually passed off
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go successfully through a test or a selection processShe passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now
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be superior or better than some standard (syn: exceed, overstep, top, transcend)-
accept or judge as acceptableThe teacher passed the student although he was weak
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allow to go without comment or censurethe insult passed as if unnoticed
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transfer to another; of rights or propertyOur house passed under his official control
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pass into a specified state or condition (syn: lapse, sink)-
throw (a ball) to another playerSmith passed
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be inherited by (syn: devolve, fall, return)-
cause to passShe passed around the plates
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grant authorization or clearance for (syn: authorise, authorize, clear)-
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life (syn: choke, conk, croak, decease, die, exit, expire, go, pass away, perish, pop off)-
eliminate from the body (syn: eliminate, excrete)adjective
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of advancing the ball by throwing it (syn: passing)a team with a good passing attack
a pass play
Extra examples
The boat was too tall to pass beneath the bridge.
A flock of geese were passing overhead.
They pass the library every morning on their way to school.
The ships passed each other in the night.
We passed each other in the hallway without looking up.
She passed two other runners just before the finish line.
He passed the slower cars on the highway.
The drug passes quickly into the bloodstream.
In a solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the Earth.
The airplane passed out of sight.
Things have come to a pretty pass.
The soldier had a weekend pass.
The guard allowed the visitor to pass.
She passed close by me without a sign of recognition.
I've never passed the spot without thinking of her.
Phrasal verbs
pass away
— pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
pass by
— move past
pass off
— be accepted as something or somebody in a false character or identity
pass on
— place into the hands or custody of
pass out
— pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
show more (3)
Word forms
verb
I/you/we/they: pass
he/she/it: passes
present participle: passing
past tense: passed
past participle: passed
noun
singular: pass
plural: passes