pass the river
To die.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The old man finally passed the river last night.”
“After a long and difficult illness, the grandmother peacefully passed the river surrounded by her family.”
“The poet wrote movingly about the quiet moment when a soul must leave this world and pass the river.”
An allusion to classical Greek mythology, specifically the crossing of the river Styx. This watercourse served as the boundary between the world of the living and Hades, the realm of the dead. The phrase traces the transition from one state to the other by way of this final geography.
- 01
come to pass
To happen; to occur.
- 02
cry someone a river
To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
- 03
hard pass
An unequivocal rejection with no possibility of a later change of mind.
- 04
let this cup pass from me
An appeal to God or another authority to take away one's present or future suffering.
- 05
parade passed someone by
Someone missed out on the joys of life, an opportunity, or popular movement
- 06
pass away
To die.
- 07
pass muster
To meet or exceed a particular standard.
- 08
pass on
To die.
Last updated August 10, 2026