past
past Lexical Profile
past Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Gone by in time and no longer existing; belonging to a former time.
"Looking back at past decades, technology has evolved at an astonishing pace."
Having just elapsed; occurring immediately before the present time.
"Sales have increased steadily over the past three months."
Having served a term in a specified office, role, or position.
"Several past presidents of the association attended the annual gala."
Of or relating to a verb tense or grammatical form that expresses an action that has already happened or a state that previously existed.
"Regular English verbs form the past tense by adding an '-ed' suffix."
• noun
The time or period that has gone by; all of time before the present moment, or the events that occurred in it.
"Historians study the past in order to better understand contemporary society."
A person's, organization's, or nation's earlier life, background, or history, especially when kept secret or regarded as questionable.
"The novel's protagonist moves to a quiet coastal town to escape a troubled past."
The past tense or a verb form in the past tense in grammar.
"In the second paragraph, the narrator shifts from the present to the past."
• preposition
To or on the further side of; beyond in position or movement.
"Walk past the library and turn left at the traffic light."
Later than; after in time (used especially in stating the time of day).
"The train departed at twenty minutes past noon."
Beyond the scope, limit, power, or stage of.
"By the time the appliance was examined, it was already past repair."
• adverb
So as to pass from one side of a reference point to the other; by.
"The crowd cheered as the marathon runners sprinted past."
Beyond in time; elapsed.
"The winters rushed past while she was away at university."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the homophone 'passed'. 'Past' functions as a noun, adjective, preposition, or adverb referring to time or location (e.g., 'walked past the door'), whereas 'passed' is strictly the past tense and past participle of the verb 'to pass' (e.g., 'she passed the exam').
• Rhymes for past
Word Origin & Etymology
Originates from Middle English 'passed', the past participle of the verb 'passen' (to pass), which derives from Old French 'passer' and ultimately from Vulgar Latin '*passare' (to step, walk, or pass), from Latin 'passus' (a step or pace).