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pass

/pæs/
verbnoun★Beginner— to move or go through
general

to move or go through a place or space

The train passed the station without stopping.

The train moved through the station without stopping.

💡

Commonly used to describe movement through a physical space.

general

to hand something to someone

Can you pass the salt, please?

Can you hand me the salt, please?

💡

Often used in informal contexts.

⚖️Law💼Business
formal

to approve or allow something to proceed

The bill was passed by the Senate.

The bill was approved by the Senate.

💡

Used in formal or official contexts.

general

to succeed in a test or examination

She passed her driving test on the first try.

She succeeded in her driving test on the first try.

💡

Commonly used in educational contexts.

general

to transfer something to someone else

He passed the baton to the next runner.

He handed the baton to the next runner.

💡

Used in sports and other contexts.

Collocations

pass the timeto spend time doing something to avoid boredompass awayto diepass outto faint or lose consciousnesspass onto diepass throughto go through a place or space

Synonyms

move throughhandapprovesucceedtransfer

Antonyms

failblockrejectstopkeep

Related Phrases

pass the buckidiom
to avoid responsibility by giving it to someone else
pass the torchidiom
to hand over responsibility or leadership to someone else
pass the hatidiom
to collect money from a group of people

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'pass' can vary greatly depending on the context. Pay attention to the surrounding words to understand its specific meaning.

⚡Gold Rule

Physical vs. Abstract

Remember that 'pass' can refer to both physical movement (e.g., passing through a door) and abstract concepts (e.g., passing a test).

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'passen', from Old French 'passer', from Latin 'passare' meaning 'to step, pass'

📝Usage Notes

The word 'pass' is highly versatile and can be used in various contexts, from physical movement to approval or success. It is commonly used in both formal and informal settings.

Word Breakdown

pass
to move or go through
root
English Dictionary

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