past

CEFRA1

/pɑːst/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Having happened or existed before now.

  2. 02

    noun

    The time before the present.

Examples

  • Air quality has deteriorated these past few years.

  • She smiled at me as she walked past.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /past/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings
  1. Having already happened; in the past; finished.

  2. The past tense.

noun

Extra meaning
  1. The period of time that has already happened, in contrast to the present and the future.

More examples

In context
  • 1830, Daniel Webster, a speech The past, at least, is secure.

  • a book about a time machine that can transport people back into the past

  • Danger past, God forgotten.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Historians study events from the blank to understand today.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English passed, past participle of passen (“to pass, to go by”), whence Modern English pass.