ENGLISH
REFERENCE

passage

n. · v.
US //ˈpæsədʒ// UK //pˈæsɪdʒ// pas·sage
  1. 1 a corridor or path (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a long, narrow space that connects one place to another, like a hallway in a building.

    a narrow path, corridor, or hallway providing a means of transit between two locations.

    Example

    The dark passage led from the kitchen to the back garden.

    Example

    A secret passage was discovered behind the library's bookshelves, leading directly to the basement of the adjacent manor.
  2. 2 section of text or music (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a short part of a book, speech, or piece of music.

    a specific excerpt or segment of a literary work, speech, or musical composition.

    Example

    The teacher asked us to read a short passage from the novel.

    Example

    The pianist performed a particularly difficult passage with such grace that the audience remained silent for several seconds after he finished.
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  1. 3 movement or transition (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of moving from one place to another, or the way time goes by.

    the process of moving through or across something, or the transition from one state or time to another.

    Example

    The passage of time has changed the way the city looks.

    Example

    The safe passage of the refugees across the border was the primary concern of the international aid agencies.
  2. 4 legislative approval (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Law

    the process of a new law being officially accepted by a government.

    the official approval or enactment of a bill or resolution by a legislative body.

    Example

    The passage of the new environmental law took several months of debate.

    Example

    The sudden passage of the emergency bill surprised many political analysts who had predicted a lengthy stalemate in the senate.
  3. 5 a sea route (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Nautical

    a narrow way through the sea or between islands.

    a navigable channel or strait, often used in the context of maritime travel.

    Example

    The ship took the northern passage to avoid the heavy storms.

    Example

    Explorers spent centuries searching for a Northwest Passage that would link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic.
  4. 6 anatomical tube (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    a tube-like part in the body that air or liquid flows through.

    a duct or canal in the body through which fluids, air, or other substances travel.

    Example

    The doctor checked his nasal passages to see why he couldn't breathe well.

    Example

    Inflammation of the bronchial passages can lead to significant respiratory distress if not treated promptly with steroids.
  5. 7 to move a pathogen (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    to move a germ or cell from one environment to another in a lab.

    to transfer a pathogen or cell culture through a series of hosts or growth media.

    Example

    Scientists had to passage the virus several times to study how it changed.

    Example

    The researchers decided to passage the strain through avian hosts to observe potential mutations in the protein structure.
Etymology 1

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French passage, from passer (“to pass”).

Etymology 2

From French passager, from Italian passeggiare.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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