past Definition

past
adj

1. Referring to an earlier time; of long ago; bygone.

Thesaurus: former, previous, prior, preceding, early, bygone.
2. Recently ended; just gone by.

Example: the past year
3. Over; finished.

Thesaurus: gone, over, done, finished.
4. Former; previous.

Example: past presidents
5. grammar.
Said of the tense of a verb: indicating an action or condition which took place or began in the past, such as the simple past (as in John wrote the letter), past progressive (as in John was writing the letter), etc. Compare future (noun 2), present, perfect, pluperfect, imperfect.

prep

1. Up to and beyond.

Example: went past me
2. After in time or age.

Example: past your bedtime
3. Beyond; farther away than.

Example: the one past the library
4. Having advanced too far for something.

Example: She's past playing with dolls
5. Beyond the reach of something

Example: past help
Example: What he did was past belief.

adverb

1. So as to pass by.

Example: watched me go past
2. Ago.

Example: two months past

noun

1a. The time before the present;

Form: the past (usually)
1b. Events, etc belonging to this time.

Form: the past (usually)
2. One's earlier life or career.

Example: My past is quite uninteresting
Thesaurus: background, history, experience, track record (slang), dossier, life.
3. A disreputable episode or period earlier in one's life.

Example: a woman with a past
4a. grammar.
The past tense;
4b. grammar.
A verb in the past tense.

Idiom: not put it past someone

colloq
To believe them quite liable or disposed to do a certain thing.

Idiom: past it (past one's best)

colloq
Having lost the vigour of one's youth or prime.

Etymology: 14c: an obsolete past participle of pass.