pass
/pɑːs/ (bre, ipa) · [pˈæs] /pæs/ (ame, ipa) · [pˈæs] /ˈpas/ (ame, mw)
pass — verb
- passpresent simple I / you / we / they
- passeshe / she / it
- passedpast simple
- passing-ing form
1. to travel beyond a person, place, or thing so that it is behind you.
to travel beyond a person, place, or thing so that it is behind you.
Our bus passed the old station before the rain started.
pass + place you move beyond
Lena passed me on the stairs and waved from below.
pass + person
A black bike passed the school gate at full speed.
When we passed the bridge, the river looked silver.
- stop at
means not moving beyond a place
文法句型
pass + somebody/something
pass + by/past
用法筆記
Often used with roads, buildings, people, or vehicles. Distinguish from verb/2, which is about moving beyond a time point rather than a physical place.
常見錯誤
2. to continue beyond a stated time, date, age, or other moment.
to continue beyond a stated time, date, age, or other moment.
The meeting passed noon, and people still had questions.
pass + time point
By the time we passed midnight, the roads were empty.
The class passed lunchtime because the science test ran late.
Our train passed sunrise before it finally reached Tainan Station.
文法句型
pass + noon/midnight/lunchtime
pass + age/date/deadline
用法筆記
Object is usually a clock time, part of the day, birthday, date, or deadline. Distinguish from verb/3, where the thing passed is a number or limit in amount.
3. to become higher than a stated number, level, or line.
to become higher than a stated number, level, or line.
Sales passed one million dollars during the holiday week.
pass + number
The river passed the danger mark after two days of rain.
pass + limit or mark
Ava's heart rate passed 120 during the final lap.
By August, rents had passed last year's highest level.
- stay below
remain under a number or line
文法句型
pass + number
pass + limit/mark/level
用法筆記
Common with figures, prices, limits, and warning lines. Distinguish from verb/2, which is about time points such as noon or midnight.
常見錯誤
4. to stop happening and no longer be felt, seen, or active.
to stop happening and no longer be felt, seen, or active.
The pain passed after Mia put ice on her ankle.
unpleasant feeling passes
By Monday morning, the shock had passed for most staff.
The storm passed before the children left the gym.
After a short rest, Omar's dizziness finally passed.
- continue
keep going instead of ending
文法句型
pain/fear/shock passes
storm/illness passes
用法筆記
Subject is usually a feeling, illness, problem, or event. Distinguish from verb/9 in another chunk, where time itself passes.
5. to reach the needed standard in a test, course, or other check.
to reach the needed standard in a test, course, or other check.
Nina passed her driving test on the second try.
pass + test
Only twelve students passed the final math exam.
After months of practice, Ben finally passed on his third attempt.
Yara passed the course and started nursing school in June.
- succeed
broader and not limited to tests
- get through
informal and often used for a difficult exam or stage
- fail
not reach the needed standard
文法句型
pass + exam/test/course
pass in an exam
用法筆記
With an object, the exam or course is named directly. Without an object, the test is usually understood from the situation.
常見錯誤
6. to place something in another person's hand or near them so they can take it.
to place something in another person's hand or near them so they can take it.
Please pass the salt to Grandpa at the end of the table.
pass + object + to + person
Rita passed me a clean towel after the swim.
pass + person + object
The nurse passed the form across the desk.
At lunch, Evan passed his sister the bread basket.
文法句型
pass + somebody + something
pass + something + to somebody
用法筆記
Often used for small objects that move from one person to another nearby. Distinguish from verb/7, where the object is usually a ball during play.
常見錯誤
7. in a team game, to move play onward by kicking, throwing, or striking the ball s
in a team game, to move play onward by kicking, throwing, or striking the ball so a teammate receives it.
Nora passed the ball to Ken before the goalkeeper rushed out.
pass + the ball to + teammate
From the corner, the captain passed the ball across the box to Liu.
The defender passed back to Bilal under heavy pressure.
In the final minute, Brazil passed wide to Vinicius instead of shooting.
- shoot
aim at the goal yourself instead of giving the ball to a teammate
文法句型
pass (the ball) to + teammate
pass back / across / wide
用法筆記
Object is usually the ball, and the receiver is usually a teammate. Distinguish from sense 6, which covers ordinary giving outside sport.
常見錯誤
8. to use fake or stolen money by giving it to someone as if it were normal money.
to use fake or stolen money by giving it to someone as if it were normal money.
The tourist tried to pass a fake fifty at the night market.
pass + fake note at a shop
Police said the gang passed stolen bills through small shops.
At the gas station, one man passed Sam a false note for coffee.
The cashier spotted the bad money before Rita could pass it.
- report
tell the police or staff about the false or stolen money instead of using it
文法句型
pass + fake note to + person
pass + person + fake note
用法筆記
Object is usually fake or stolen money, and the act is hidden from the other person. Distinguish from sense 6, where you simply give something openly.
常見錯誤
9. to move forward so that more time is gone.
to move forward so that more time is gone.
The summer passed quickly once the new baby came home.
time expression + pass
Two hours passed, but the repair truck still had not arrived.
As we waited in the clinic, the morning passed slowly.
Several years passed before Hana saw her cousin again.
文法句型
time / an hour / a year + passes
用法筆記
Usually used with a time expression as subject, such as hours, months, or winter. Distinguish from sense 10, where a person actively does something to fill the time.
10. to use an activity to fill a period when you are waiting or bored.
to use an activity to fill a period when you are waiting or bored.
We passed the long train ride by playing card games.
pass + time period + by + -ing
During the storm, the children passed the afternoon with puzzles.
pass + time period + with + noun
Lena passed the waiting time by reading old magazines.
At the airport, I passed an hour watching planes land.
文法句型
pass + time period + by + -ing
pass + time period + with + noun
用法筆記
Object is a period such as an hour, the afternoon, or the journey. Often followed by 'by' plus an -ing form, or by 'with' plus a noun.
常見錯誤
11. for an official body to agree to a bill, rule, or plan, often through a formal v
for an official body to agree to a bill, rule, or plan, often through a formal vote.
Last night, the council passed the new parking rules.
official body + pass + rules
After weeks of debate, parliament passed the budget at midnight.
The school board passed stricter phone rules for classrooms.
Lawmakers passed the bill despite loud protests outside.
文法句型
pass + bill / law / rule
pass + motion by voting
用法筆記
Subject is usually a council, parliament, board, or committee, and the object is often a bill, law, motion, or budget. Distinguish from personal approval, which is more often expressed with 'approve'.
常見錯誤
12. to give an opinion about someone or something, usually in a judging or critical
to give an opinion about someone or something, usually in a judging or critical way.
At the park, two strangers passed judgment on Mei's crying son.
pass judgment on + person
At dinner, Uncle Ray passed comment on everyone's clothes.
pass comment on + something
Online strangers passed judgment on the singer's late apology.
Before the facts were clear, neighbors had already passed comment.
- withhold judgment
choose not to form or express an opinion yet
文法句型
pass judgment on + person / behaviour
pass comment on + something
用法筆記
Usually appears in fixed phrases such as 'pass judgment on' or 'pass comment on'. Distinguish from sense 13, where a judge decides a criminal punishment.
常見錯誤
13. to announce in court what punishment a guilty person must receive.
to announce in court what punishment a guilty person must receive.
Judge Moreno passed a six-month prison sentence on Raul for the shop attack.
pass + a sentence
After lunch, the court passed sentence on all three men.
legal phrase: pass sentence
Judge Lin passed sentence after hearing the victim's family.
By sunset, Judge Perez passed a life sentence in open court.
- acquit
means officially decide that a person is not guilty
文法句型
pass sentence on + somebody
pass + a sentence
用法筆記
Usually used in legal reporting, with sentence directly after the verb or in the phrase pass sentence on somebody. Distinguish from verb/12 in another chunk, which is about judging behaviour or character.
常見錯誤
14. to stop living, often in a gentle or polite way of speaking.
to stop living, often in a gentle or polite way of speaking.
Grandpa passed peacefully in his sleep last winter.
polite use for death
Aunt Rosa passed at ninety-two with her daughters nearby.
pass at + age
The old farm dog passed during a cold January night.
After months in bed, Mr. Clark passed before sunrise.
- survive
continue to live instead of dying
文法句型
pass peacefully
pass at + age
用法筆記
Usually intransitive and often chosen as a softer alternative to die. It is common in family talk, notices, and respectful reports of death.
常見錯誤
15. to let waste or another substance leave the body in urine or stool.
to let waste or another substance leave the body in urine or stool.
Babies pass waste more often when they drink extra milk.
pass + waste from the body
The medicine helped Omar pass the stone by morning.
medical use: pass a stone
After the scan, the doctor said Ava would pass the dye soon.
Cows pass large amounts of waste after eating fresh grass.
- retain
keep a substance in the body instead of letting it out
文法句型
pass + waste/urine/stool
pass + a stone/dye
用法筆記
Object is usually waste, urine, stool, a stone, or another substance leaving the body. Distinguish from verb/16, where the thing passed is blood and the meaning points to illness.
常見錯誤
16. to produce urine or stool that contains blood.
to produce urine or stool that contains blood.
The nurse told Ava to call if she passed blood in her urine again.
pass blood as a symptom
After the fall, Leo passed blood and went to the hospital.
The doctor asked whether Ishaan had passed blood that week.
During the night, the child passed blood in his urine.
- bleed
much broader and does not show where the blood appears
- have blood in your urine
specific to urine rather than stool
- have blood in your stool
specific to stool rather than urine
文法句型
pass blood
pass blood in + urine/stool
用法筆記
Usually used in medical talk or reports. Distinguish from verb/15, which can be about ordinary waste or a stone rather than a warning sign of illness.
17. to let a turn go by without making a move or giving an answer.
to let a turn go by without making a move or giving an answer.
When the hard history question came up, Ella passed.
intransitive use in a quiz
Max passed because he had no cards of that color.
In the last round, our team passed and lost the point.
At the TV quiz, Sara passed and let Tom answer.
- skip
common general word for not taking a turn
- sit out
more often means not joining part of a game or activity
- decline to answer
formal and limited to questions
文法句型
pass in a game
pass in a quiz
用法筆記
Often used without an object, with the question or turn understood from the situation. Common in card games, quiz shows, and similar turn-based activities.
常見錯誤
18. to shift into a different condition, mood, or stage.
to shift into a different condition, mood, or stage.
The room passed from silence into loud celebration.
pass from one state into another
As evening came, the sky passed from blue to grey.
pass from + state + to + state
Mina's face passed quickly from fear to relief.
By spring, the garden passed into a dry yellow state.
- remain
stay in the same state
文法句型
pass from + state + to + state
pass into + state
用法筆記
Usually followed by from ... to ... or into .... Distinguish from verb/4 in another chunk, where a feeling or event passes by ending rather than changing into something else.
pass — noun
- passsingular
- passesplural
1. a result showing that you reached the level needed in an exam.
a result showing that you reached the level needed in an exam.
Mia needed one more correct answer to get a pass in chemistry.
get a pass in [subject]
Daniel's parents smiled when his exam paper showed a pass.
After two retakes, Sara finally earned a pass on the driving theory test.
Only twelve students in the class got a pass in physics.
- passing grade
especially American; focuses on a score high enough to succeed
- pass mark
especially British; often means the minimum score required rather than the result
- success
broader and not limited to tests
- fail
an unsuccessful result in an exam or course
文法句型
get a pass in [subject]
a pass on [test]
用法筆記
Usually appears with verbs such as 'get', 'earn', or 'scrape', and often follows 'in' + subject or 'on' + test. Distinguish from sense 2, where the result is recorded without any score or letter grade.
常見錯誤
2. a result recorded simply as success, without any score or letter grade attached.
a result recorded simply as success, without any score or letter grade attached.
Professor Lin's lab course gives a pass instead of a number grade.
pass instead of a number grade
Eva was relieved to see a pass beside her lab project.
At our hospital, the internship report is marked as pass or fail only.
Nursing students need a pass in anatomy to move to year two.
- pass grade
can mean the minimum acceptable result, though some systems still use letters or numbers
- satisfactory
formal label used in some schools instead of a graded mark
- credit
in some institutions means a course was completed successfully
- fail
shows that the required standard was not reached
文法句型
be marked as pass or fail
record a pass
用法筆記
Common in schools and training systems that use pass/fail grading. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense does not show how well the student did, only that the minimum standard was met.
常見錯誤
3. a move in a team game where the ball is sent on to another player from the same
a move in a team game where the ball is sent on to another player from the same side.
Mateo saw the wing free and made a quick pass.
make a pass
One short pass opened space near the goal for Brazil.
short/long pass in team sports
The coach praised Folake's pass across the wet field.
Christopher missed an easy pass to Alex after the throw-in.
文法句型
make a pass
a pass to [player]
用法筆記
Used mainly in football, basketball, rugby, and similar team sports. It is often described by direction or style, as in 'short pass', 'long pass', or 'pass to the wing'.
4. an official card, paper, or ticket that gives you permission to enter a place or
an official card, paper, or ticket that gives you permission to enter a place or travel by a particular service.
Show your pass at the station gate before boarding the train.
show your pass
Carla forgot her work pass and had to call security.
work/bus/visitor pass
Grandpa keeps his bus pass in the front pocket.
Each reporter received a pass for the concert hall.
文法句型
show your pass
a pass for [place/event]
用法筆記
Often modified by the place or purpose: 'bus pass', 'visitor pass', 'work pass', 'press pass'. Distinguish from sense 5, which is a school note for leaving class for a short time.
常見錯誤
5. a written note from school staff that lets a student leave the classroom for a s
a written note from school staff that lets a student leave the classroom for a short time.
Nina showed the pass and walked to the nurse's office.
school pass for leaving class
Mr Chen wrote Jake a pass for the school library.
write someone a pass
Without a pass, students cannot leave class during tests.
The teacher signed a pass so Emma could visit the office.
- hall pass
common American school term for permission to leave class temporarily
- note
general word; less specific than 'pass'
- leave slip
a school or office form allowing temporary absence
文法句型
write someone a pass
without a pass
用法筆記
Common in school settings and often written by a teacher, nurse, or office worker. Distinguish from sense 4: this pass allows temporary movement inside school rather than general travel or entry.
常見錯誤
6. a road or narrow way that crosses high mountains or runs between them.
a road or narrow way that crosses high mountains or runs between them.
Snow closed the pass between the two villages last night.
the pass between two places
Our bus climbed slowly through the high pass at dawn.
through the pass
The army guarded the narrow pass above the river.
Hikers crossed the pass before the afternoon storm arrived.
文法句型
through the pass
cross the pass
用法筆記
Usually refers to a route high in the mountains and often appears with words like 'high', 'narrow', and 'snow-covered'. It is a landscape term, not a paper or ticket like senses 4 and 5.
7. one full reading of a piece of writing to check it and make changes.
one full reading of a piece of writing to check it and make changes.
After the first pass, Nina cut three long sentences from the report.
first pass through a text
Before the school magazine went to print, Jon made one last pass over the article.
pass over a text before publication
The copy editor found a misspelled name on her final pass.
One quick pass through the essay missed the problem in paragraph four.
- read-through
close in meaning; often stresses reading the whole text from start to finish
- review
broader; can include judging or discussing, not only rereading
文法句型
a first/final pass through or over a text
用法筆記
Often appears with stage words such as first, second, or final. When the document is named, through or over is common after pass.
常見錯誤
8. a point where a person, group, or situation is in serious trouble.
a point where a person, group, or situation is in serious trouble.
By winter, the family was in a bad pass after the factory closed.
in a bad pass — literary pattern
In Geneva, the peace talks reached a dangerous pass when both sides refused to meet.
reach a dangerous pass
Grandma's health came to a bad pass before the new medicine arrived.
By spring, the small farm was in a bad pass after the drought.
- plight
more common for a very difficult situation
- difficulty
broader and more everyday
- crisis
stronger; suggests urgent danger or a turning point
文法句型
in a bad pass
at a hard pass
用法筆記
Mostly found in literary or old-fashioned phrasing, especially with in, at, or verbs like reach and come to. It usually refers to serious trouble, not a small daily problem.
常見錯誤
9. Words or touch that show sexual interest in someone and are meant to begin an in
Words or touch that show sexual interest in someone and are meant to begin an intimate relationship.
The drunk man made a pass at the waitress near closing time.
make a pass at somebody
Dana left early after a stranger made a pass at her.
Everyone saw Tom making a pass at the new bartender.
The boss was warned for making passes at young staff.
- advance
more formal; often used for unwanted romantic or sexual behavior
- come-on
informal; stresses obvious sexual interest
- flirtation
broader and often lighter; may lack the stronger sexual force of this sense
文法句型
make a pass at somebody
用法筆記
Most common in the fixed phrase make a pass at somebody. It usually suggests unwanted sexual interest rather than friendly or harmless flirting.