pass the time of day Definition

pass
verb passed, passing

tr & intr
1. To come alongside and progress beyond something or someone.

Example: passed her on the stairs
Thesaurus: move, go by, go past, shoot ahead of, go beyond, overtake, outdistance.
intr
2. To run, flow, progress, etc.

Example: blood passing through our veins
tr & intr
3. To go or make it go, penetrate, etc.

Example: pass through a filter
Form: pass through, into etc something or pass something through, into etc something (also)
tr & intr
4. To move lightly across, over, etc something.

Example: pass a duster over the furniture
intr
5. To move from one state or stage to another.

Example: pass from the larval to the pupal stage
6. To exceed or surpass.

Example: pass the target
tr & intr
7. Said of a vehicle: to overtake.
tr & intr
8a. To achieve the required standard in (a test, etc);
8b. To award (a student, etc) the marks required for success in a test, etc.
intr
9. To take place.

Example: what passed between them
tr & intr
10. Said of time: to go by; to use up (time) in some activity, etc.
tr & intr
11. To be inherited; to hand it down.

Form: pass down (usually)
Form: pass something down
tr & intr
12. sport.
To throw or kick (the ball, etc) to another player in one's team.
tr & intr
13. To agree to (a proposal or resolution) or be agreed to; to vote (a law) into effect.

Thesaurus: enact, legislate, establish, vote in, accept, adopt, approve, authorize.
14. Said of a judge or law court: to pronounce (judgement).
intr
15. To go away after a while.

Example: her nausea passed
intr
16. To be accepted, tolerated or ignored.

Example: let it pass
intr
17. To choose not to answer in a quiz, etc or bid in a card game.
18. To make (a comment, etc).
19. To discharge (urine or faeces).

noun passes

1. A route through a gap in a mountain range.
2. An official card or document permitting one to enter somewhere, be absent from duty, etc.

Thesaurus: permit, licence, authorization, admission, ticket, passport, visa.
3. A successful result in an examination, but usually without distinction or honours.
4. sport.
A throw, kick, hit, etc to another player in one's team.
5. A state of affairs.

Example: came to a sorry pass
6. A decision not to answer in a quiz, etc, or not to bid in a card game.

Idiom: come to pass (be brought to pass)

To happen.
Thesaurus: come about, happen, occur, develop, transpire.

Idiom: make a pass at someone

To make a casual sexual advance towards them.
Example: made a pass at a gorgeous man at the party

Idiom: pass the buck

See under buck.

Idiom: pass the time of day

To exchange an ordinary greeting with someone.

Etymology: 13c: from Latin passus step or pace.

Phrasal Verb: pass as or for someone or something

To be mistaken for or accepted as (a different person or thing).

Phrasal Verb: pass oneself off as someone or something

To represent oneself in that way.
Example: tried to pass themselves off as students

Phrasal Verb: pass away or on

To die.

Phrasal Verb: pass by

To go past.

Phrasal Verb: pass by something or someone

To go past them.

Phrasal Verb: pass something or someone by

To overlook or ignore them.

Phrasal Verb: pass off

Said of a sickness or feeling, etc: to go away; to diminish.Said of an arranged event: to take place with the result specified.
Example: The party passed off very well

Phrasal Verb: pass something off

To successfully present (something which is fraudulent).

Phrasal Verb: pass something on

To hand it on or transmit it to someone else.See pass something round below.

Phrasal Verb: pass out

To faint.To leave a military or police college having successfully completed one's training.

Phrasal Verb: pass over something

To overlook it; to ignore it.

Phrasal Verb: pass something round, on

To circulate it; to hand or transfer it from one person to the next in succession.
Example: pass the memo round the office
Example: was passed on

Phrasal Verb: pass something up

To neglect or sacrifice (an opportunity).

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time
noun

1. The continuous passing and succession of minutes, days and years, etc.

Thesaurus: duration, continuance, lastingness, extent.
2. A particular point in time expressed in hours and minutes, or days, months and years, and as can be read from a clock or watch, or told by a calendar.
3. Any system for reckoning or expressing time.

Example: Eastern European Time
4. A point or period which is marked by some event or some particular characteristic.

Example: at the time of her marriage
Example: Edwardian times
Thesaurus: occasion, moment,age, era, period, epoch.
Form: times (also)
5. The period required or available for, suitable for or spent doing a specified activity.

Example: playtime
Thesaurus: leisure, spare time, freedom, opportunity, free moment, ease, liberty, chance.
6. An unspecified interval or period.

Example: stayed there for a time
7. One of a number or series of occasions or repeated actions.

Example: been to Spain three times
8. Expressing multiplication.

Example: Three times two is six
Form: times
9. A period or occasion, especially a personal one, characterized by some quality or experience.

Example: a good time
Example: hard times
10. A particular period being considered, especially the present.
11. colloq
A prison sentence.
Example: do time
12. An apprenticeship.
13. The point at which something ends, eg a match or game.
(Brit)
14. The time when a public house must close.
15. The moment at which childbirth or death is expected.
16. The hours and days that one spends at work.
17. A rate of pay for work.

Example: Saturdays pay double time
18. music.
A specified rhythm or speed.
Example: waltz time
19. music.
The speed at which a piece of music is to be played.

verb timed, timing

1. To measure the time taken by (an event or journey, etc).
2. To arrange, set or choose the time for something.
tr & intr
3. To keep or beat time, or make something keep or beat time.

Idiom: against time

With as much speed as possible because of the need or wish to finish by a certain time.

Idiom: ahead of time

Earlier than expected or necessary.
Thesaurus: fast, ahead of schedule, fast, early.

Idiom: all in good time

In due course; soon enough.

Idiom: all the time

Continually.

Idiom: at times

Occasionally; sometimes.

Idiom: behind time

Late.

Idiom: behind the times

Out of date; old-fashioned.

Idiom: for the time being

Meanwhile; for the moment.
Thesaurus: temporarily, for the present, provisionally.

Idiom: from time to time

Occasionally; sometimes.
Thesaurus: occasionally, sometimes, at times, once in a while.

Idiom: have no time for someone or something

To have no interest in or patience with them or it; to despise them or it.

Idiom: have the time of one's life

To enjoy oneself very much.

Idiom: in good time

Early.

Idiom: in no time

Very quickly.

Idiom: in one's own time

In one's spare time when not at work.

At the speed one prefers.

Idiom: in time

Early enough.

Idiom: in time with someone or something

At the same speed or rhythm as them or it.

Idiom: keep time

To correctly follow the required rhythm of a piece of music.

Said of a watch or clock: to function at an accurate speed.

Idiom: kill time

To pass time aimlessly while waiting on events.

Idiom: make good time

To travel as quickly as, or more quickly than, one had expected or hoped.

Idiom: no time at all

colloq
A very short time.

Idiom: on time

At the right time; not late.

Idiom: pass the time of day

To exchange greetings and have a brief casual conversation.

Idiom: take one's time

Not to hurry; to work as slowly as one wishes.

Idiom: time and time again

Again and again; repeatedly.
Thesaurus: over and over again, time after time, frequently, repeatedly, recurrently, often.

Idiom: time out of mind

For longer than anyone can remember.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon tima.