ENGLISH
REFERENCE

passing

n. · adj. · adv.
US //ˈpæsɪŋ// UK //pˈɑːsɪŋ// pass·ing
  1. 1 death (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    a polite way to talk about someone's death.

    a euphemistic term for death or the end of a person's life.

    Example

    The family held a small service to mark the passing of their grandfather.

    Example

    The community gathered to mourn the passing of a local leader who had dedicated decades to public service.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by a person's name or title.
  2. 2 moving past (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the act of moving from one place to another or going past something.

    the act of moving past a point or the transition from one state to another.

    Example

    She watched the passing of the ships from her window by the sea.

    Example

    The steady passing of the seasons brought a predictable rhythm to life in the remote mountain village.
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  1. 3 approving a law (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Academic Law

    the official process of a government approving a new law or bill.

    the formal legislative approval of a bill, motion, or resolution.

    Example

    The passing of the new environmental law was celebrated by activists.

    Example

    The passing of the controversial bill required a two-thirds majority in the senate after weeks of intense debate.

    Usage

    Commonly used in political and legal contexts regarding legislation.
  2. 4 social identity (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Academic Technical Sociology

    when someone is accepted as a member of a different social group than the one they were born into.

    the ability of a person to be regarded as a member of an identity group or category different from their own.

    Example

    The book explores the history of racial passing in the early twentieth century.

    Example

    Sociologists study the phenomenon of passing to understand how individuals navigate rigid social hierarchies and identity boundaries.

  3. 5 sports (n.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

    the act of hitting or throwing a ball to a teammate.

    the action of transferring the ball or puck to another player on the same team.

    Example

    The team's quick passing made it very difficult for the defenders to keep up.

    Example

    The coach emphasised accurate passing and spatial awareness during the final training session before the championship match.

  4. 6 brief or quick (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    lasting for only a short time, or done very quickly without much attention.

    brief, ephemeral, or cursory; lacking depth or permanence.

    Example

    He made a passing comment about the weather and then changed the subject.

    Example

    The report only gave a passing mention to the budget issues, focusing instead on the project's successes.
  5. 7 moving by (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    going past a particular place or person.

    moving past or by a specific location or observer.

    Example

    She waved at the passing cars from her front porch.

    Example

    The cyclist was nearly knocked over by the wind from a passing truck on the narrow highway.
  6. 8 very (adv.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    an old-fashioned way to say 'very' or 'extremely'.

    surpassingly or greatly; used as an intensifier in older literature.

    Example

    The view from the castle tower was passing fair.

    Example

    In the ancient tale, the knight encountered a maiden who was described as passing strange in her manner and dress.
Origin

From pass + -ing.

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