pass over

pass over — phrasal verb

  • pass overbase form
  • passes over3rd person singular
  • passing over-ing form
  • passed overpast simple

1. When an employer chooses not to give a person a higher job or better position, e

1.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

When an employer chooses not to give a person a higher job or better position, even though the person expects it or has earned it through good work.

例句

Eitan was passed over for the manager job even though he had the most experience.

passive: be passed over for [position]

The board passed over Nala and offered the CEO role to an outsider.

active form: pass over + person

同義詞
  • overlook

    can be accidental or deliberate; less tied to job promotions

  • bypass

    more active/deliberate, also used outside work contexts

  • skip

    informal, broader in meaning

反義詞
  • promote

    the opposite action — giving someone a higher position

  • advance

    formal; move someone forward in their career

文法句型

be passed over for [position]

用法筆記

Very common in the passive voice. The person who is not promoted is the object, and the missed position follows 'for'.

常見錯誤

❌He was passed over from the promotion.
✅He was passed over for the promotion.
💡Use 'for', not 'from', to name the missed position.

2. To choose not to talk about a subject, especially because it is uncomfortable, e

2.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

To choose not to talk about a subject, especially because it is uncomfortable, embarrassing, or not the main concern at that moment.

例句

Jude passed over the question about his health and steered the conversation elsewhere.

pass over + question/topic

The report passes over the safety concerns that workers had raised for months.

同義詞
  • skip

    more neutral, less loaded; can be used for any omission

  • gloss over

    suggests treating something too quickly or superficially

  • overlook

    can be accidental or intentional; less specific to speech

反義詞
  • address

    to speak about or deal with a subject directly

  • discuss

    to talk about something in detail

文法句型

pass over + noun phrase (topic/issue/subject)

用法筆記

Object is typically an issue, detail, subject, or question. Unlike 'ignore', which can be about people or things, this sense is limited to topics and subjects.

常見錯誤

❌She passed over her friend at the party.' (for social ignoring — use the idiom sense instead).
✅She passed over the topic of money during dinner.
💡This sense is for subjects/topics, not people.