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past definition

past (past, päst)

intransitive verb, transitive verb

Rare pass

adjective

  1. gone by; ended; over our past troubles
  2. of a former time; bygone
  3. immediately preceding; just gone by the past week
  4. having served formerly a past chairman
  5. Gram. indicating an action completed or in progress at a former time, or a state or condition in existence at a former time

noun

  1. the time that has gone by; days, months, or years gone by
  2. what has happened; the history, former life, or experiences of a person, group, or institution: often used to indicate a hidden or questionable past a woman with a past
  3. Gram.
    1. the past tense
    2. a verb form in this tense

  1. beyond in time; later than five past four
  2. beyond in space; farther on than
  3. Obsolete beyond in amount or degree; more than
  4. beyond the extent, power, limits, scope, etc. of past belief

adverb

to and beyond a point in time or space; by; so as to pass
past Idioms

not put it past someone

to believe someone is likely (to do something specified)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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