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pass(verb)/pɑːs/ /pæs/Verb Forms- to achieve the required standard in an exam, a test, etc.
OPPOSITE fail
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/fail_2 - I'm not really expecting to pass first time.
- She passed with flying colours (= very easily).
- She hasn't passed her driving test yet.
- pass an exam/examination
Extra Examples- Three students in the class passed with distinction.
- Students are required to pass a weekly multiple-choice test.
- He passed his medical exams and began to practise as a doctor.
- We require all employees to pass a written exam.
- She was the first woman to pass the entrance examination at the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
- You need 90 per cent attendance in order to pass the course.
- Candidates must have passed at least five subjects, including English language.
- Chinese students had to pass papers in Chinese, English and maths.
- Your grades in the first year don't count towards your final grade; you just have to pass.
- I had no idea whether I'd passed or failed.
- She passed in the following subjects: Advanced Irish, English, arithmetic, history, geography, music.
- to test somebody and decide that they are good enough, according to an agreed standard
OPPOSITE fail
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/fail_2 - The examiners passed all the candidates.
- to move past or to the other side of somebody/something
- Several people were passing but nobody offered to help.
- I hailed a passing taxi.
- The security guard refused to let us pass.
- to pass a barrier/sentry/checkpoint
- You'll pass a bank on the way to the train station.
- She passed me in the street without even saying hello.
- Nobody has passed this way for hours.
- There was a truck behind that was trying to pass me.
Extra Examples- The road was so narrow that cars were unable to pass.
- Several buses passed, but did not stop.
- He pulled out to pass a truck.
- She passed him with a fractional quickening of her pace.
- On my way to the cinema, I passed a flower shop.
- Will you be passing a post box on your way home?
- I just happened to pass a bookshop and saw it in the window.
- Police stopped the car after it passed a red light without stopping.
- We somehow passed the hotel without noticing it.
- You'll pass a supermarket on your right.
- The train passes picturesque lakes and villages.
- I heard someone passing my bedroom door.
- We passed several people going up the mountain as we were coming down.
- I was just passing your house, so I thought I'd call.
- I was just passing, so I thought I'd call.
- We tried to take note of landmarks we passed along the way.
- Not many strangers pass this way.
- He passed a 30 miles per hour sign doing 120.
- We passed the border about half an hour ago.
- A passing freight train shook the walls.
- A man threw something from the window of a passing car.
- I saw no-one except a passing jogger.
- to go or move in the direction mentioned
- The procession passed slowly along the street.
- We passed through a security checkpoint.
- A plane passed low overhead.
- The air cools as it passes along the pipe.
- After passing through tall gates, you follow a long curving drive.
- We passed through the Spanish Quarter on our way here.
- Almost 7 million people pass through the museum's doors each year.
- The number of people passing through British airports rose 3%.
- The train passes through a desolate industrial landscape.
- As the water passes through, the membrane filters out most of the impurities.
- As they passed under the bridge they heard a noise above them.
- As water passes over rocks, it dissolves many minerals.
- They passed down winding streets.
- A train was passing noisily over the bridge.
- They became used to hearing warplanes pass overhead.
- to make something move in the direction or into the position mentioned
- He passed the rope around the post three times to secure it.
- She passed her hand across her forehead.
- to give something to somebody by putting it into their hands or in a place where they can easily reach it
- Pass the salt, please.
- Pass that book over.
- He passed a note to his friend.
- Pass me the salt.
- Pass me over that book.
Extra Examples- Pass my coat, would you?
- She passed me a plate.
- Can you pass me that bag?
- Could you pass the potatoes up to this end of the table, please?
- He stood at the counter, passing drinks to everyone.
- We passed the pens along the row until everyone had one.
- to give somebody information or a message
- His wife had been passing information to the police.
- They devised a method of passing secret messages.
- to kick, hit or throw the ball to a player of your own side
- He passed the ball to Sterling.
- Why do they keep passing back to the goalie?
- They should pass more.
Extra Examples- We watched them skillfully pass, run and shoot.
- The team caught and passed very well.
- The ball went to Hummell, who passed to Young.
- In basketball, the rule is that the player can't move without passing the ball (or dribbling, which is like passing to himself).
- In rugby you can only pass the ball backwards.
- He should have passed the ball to a teammate.
- when time passes, it goes by
- Almost fifty years have passed since that day.
- Six months passed and we still had no news of them.
- The time passed quickly.
- We grew more anxious with every passing day.
Extra Examples- The days passed uneventfully.
- The years passed, and many people forgot what had happened that day.
- Several months could pass without them having any contact.
- It might be best to think about this again when a little time has passed.
- As time passes, our views can change.
- I realized that three hours had passed.
- Half an hour passes, and there is still no sign of him.
- Barely a week passes without another story breaking about sexual harassment.
- Only a few minutes have passed and you're bored already.
- The afternoon passed pleasantly enough.
- The evening passed so slowly.
- With every passing minute she became more convinced something had happened to them.
- I love her more with each passing year.
- to spend time, especially when you are bored or waiting for something
- We sang songs to pass the time.
- How do you pass the long winter nights?
Extra Examples- She went for a walk to pass the time until dinner.
- It's not a very exciting game, but it passes the time.
- We passed the time chatting.
- He found a dry barn where he passed the night.
- She passed a sleepless night.
- We passed an uneasy few days waiting for the results.
- Conversation helps them pass the hours of guard duty.
- They passed a pleasant evening telling tales and singing songs.
- Reading is a way for prisoners to pass the long evenings when they are locked in their cells.
- to come to an end; to be over
- They waited for the storm to pass.
- It's just a phase which will eventually pass.
- This is a record of an era long since passed (= that ended a long time ago).
Extra Examples- I felt a little dizzy at first, but that quickly passed.
- The immediate danger seemed to have passed.
- After the deadline passes, interest will be charged on the amount due.
- The shock will soon pass.
- The indignation I felt on reading this soon passed.
- I wanted to ask a question, but the moment passed.
- The film gives a wonderful insight into a way of life that has now passed.
- His youthful idealism has long since passed.
- to change from one state or condition to another
- She had passed from childhood to early womanhood.
- to be given to another person after first belonging to somebody else, especially after the first person has died
- On his death, the title passed to his eldest son.
- to become greater than a particular total
SYNONYM exceed
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/exceed - Unemployment has now passed the three million mark.
- to accept a proposal, law, etc. by voting; to be accepted in this way
- to pass a bill/law/resolution
- The Kansas State House narrowly passed the legislation last year.
- In 1996, Congress unanimously passed the Food Quality Protection Act.
- The bill is expected to pass the Senate.
- The bill passed by 360 votes to 280.
Extra Examples- New Zealand recently passed the Civil Union Act.
- University staff passed a motion of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor.
- Delegates unanimously passed a motion calling for a boycott.
- The amendment passed by a vote of 57 - 40.
- The income tax amendment was passed in 1913.
- Parliament passed tough new security measures.
- The country is better off because we have passed these economic reforms.
- Any budget deal has to pass the House of Representatives.
- The state legislature passed a law requiring public schools to offer breakfast programs.
- They needed six more votes to pass the resolution.
- The resolution passed unanimously.
- Congress has failed to pass legislation that would raise the minimum wage.
- The House of Lords is expected to pass the amendment.
- The amendment is expected to pass.
- to be allowed
- I don't like it, but I'll let it pass (= will not object).
- Her remarks passed without comment (= people ignored them).
- to happen; to be said or done
- They'll never be friends again after all that has passed between them.
- His departure passed unnoticed.
- to say that you do not know the answer to a question, especially during a quiz
- ‘What's the capital of Peru?’ ‘I'll have to pass on that one.’
- ‘Who wrote ‘Catch-22’?’ ‘Pass (= I don't know).’
- to say that you do not want something that is offered to you
- Thanks. I'm going to pass on dessert, if you don't mind.
- to say or state something, especially officially
- The court waited in silence for the judge to pass sentence.
- It's not for me to pass judgement on your behaviour.
- The man smiled at the girl and passed a friendly remark.
- to go beyond the limits of what you can believe, understand, etc.
- It passes belief (= is impossible to believe) that she could do such a thing.
- to refuse to play a card or make a bid when it is your turn
- to send something out from the body as or with waste matter
- If you're passing blood you ought to see a doctor.
- to happen
- How did such a disaster come to pass?
- I wondered how it came to pass that a thinking man bore the prejudices of his unthinking parents.
- if words do not pass your lips, you say nothing
- if food or drink does not pass your lips, you eat or drink nothing
- to collect money from a number of people, for example to buy a present for somebody
- to be accepted as of a good enough standard
- to say hello to somebody and have a short conversation with them
- to urinate
Word Origin- verb Middle English: from Old French passer, based on Latin passus ‘pace’.
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