passage
noun
pas·sage
| \ ˈpa-sij
\
\
Definition of passage
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a way of exit or entrance : a road, path, channel, or course by which something passes
Special ships clear passages through the ice. nasal passages
b
: a corridor or lobby giving access to the different rooms or parts of a building or apartment
Her office is at the end of the passage.
2a
: the action or process of passing from one place, condition, or stage to another
the passage of food through the digestive system
b
: death sense 1a
when he is fit and seasoned for his passage— William Shakespeare
c
: a continuous movement or flow
the passage of time
3a(1)
: a specific act of traveling or passing especially by sea or air
a long ocean passage
(2)
: a privilege of conveyance as a passenger : accommodations
was able to secure passage on the next flight
b
: the passing of a legislative measure or law : enactment
a bill's passage into law
4
: a right, liberty, or permission to pass
attempted to force passage through the town— C. A. Willoughby
5a
: something that happens or is done : incident
The soldier related some exciting passages.
b
: something that takes place between two persons mutually
the passage of vows between bride and groom
6a
: a usually brief portion of a written work or speech that is relevant to a point under discussion or noteworthy for content or style
quoted a passage from the Bible
b
: a phrase or short section of a musical composition
The violinist played the challenging passages with great virtuosity.
c
: a detail of a work of art (such as a painting)
the picture contains several pretty passages of color— Clive Bell
7
: the act or action of passing something or undergoing a passing
The computer facilitates the rapid passage of information.
8
: incubation (see incubate sense 1b) of a pathogen (such as a virus) in culture, a living organism, or a developing egg
passage
verb
passaged;
passaging
Definition of passage (Entry 2 of 2)
: to go past or across : cross
: to subject to passage
passaged a virus
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Examples of passage in a Sentence
Noun
We squeezed through a narrow passage between the rocks. Special ships clear passages through the ice. The medicine makes breathing easier by opening nasal passages. They controlled the passage of goods through their territory. the passage of food through the digestive system the passage of air into and out of the lungs the passage from life to death the passage of the seasons He left after the passage of a few hours. With the passage of time, the number of children suffering with the disease has decreased dramatically.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
First death recorded in Abaco following Hurrican Dorian passage on Abaco.... — Michael Wiessenstein, sun-sentinel.com, "At least 5 dead in Bahamas as Hurricane Dorian brings massive flooding," 2 Sep. 2019 But when the fury clears, what will be left is the sense of two sides capable of passages of thrilling attacking play but, at the moment, lacking the capacity to control games that defines champions. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "Tottenham Recaptures Some of Last Season's Form Against Arsenal," 1 Sep. 2019 About two weeks later, Iran seized a 30,000-ton British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage to the Persian Gulf through which about 20 percent of the world’s crude oil travels. — New York Times, "U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Wandering Iranian Oil Tanker," 30 Aug. 2019 The erotic passages were a struggle to write at first. — Ceridwen Dovey, The New Yorker, "Can You Write a Novel as a Group?," 30 Aug. 2019 If the passage ended here, then Jesus would be saying that all would be welcomed in Heaven. — Jeffrey Peters, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Peters: It is the sinner’s responsibility to turn back to God," 30 Aug. 2019 Given the power that unions wield in the overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature, passage of AB 5 with minimal exemptions would seem to be a slam dunk. — Dan Walters, The Mercury News, "Walters: California legislators mull the future of work," 29 Aug. 2019 The Maniques and the other soon-to-be Canadians agreed to make this passage at an NHL game, where more than 10,000 fans had packed the arena to watch the hometown Senators face the Calgary Flames. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz, "Canada’s elaborate citizenship ceremonies would be indoctrination if held anywhere else," 29 Aug. 2019 Following the frontal passage early Thursday, high pressure will build in from the Tennessee Valley with clearing skies and much lower humidity. — courant.com, "Showers and possibly heavy downpours at times Wednesday," 28 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Bag ban ban: A state bill that would pre-empt Cuyahoga County and other local governments from banning or taxing single-use plastic bags moved one step closer to passage on Wednesday, cleveland.com’s Andrew Tobias reports. — Cliff Pinckard, cleveland.com, "Ohio House wants to rewrite school funding: The Wake Up for Thursday, June 27, 2019," 27 June 2019 With a 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate, just three additional Republican supporters could bring the resolution to passage. — Natalie Andrews And Andrew Duehren, WSJ, "Congress to Weigh Measures to Nullify Trump’s Emergency Order," 21 Feb. 2019 Trails offer visitors passage into forests of sabal palms and live oaks draped in Spanish moss, ponds busy with herons, kingfishers and waterfowl, and riparian wetlands skirting the banks of the Rio Grande. — James F. Mccarty, cleveland.com, "Eco-tourists enjoy Rio Grande Valley as threat of a border wall threatens habitat," 15 Apr. 2018 If Trump backs it, that could propel the measure to passage. — Tal Kopan And Lauren Fox, CNN, "Republicans unveil DACA citizenship-border wall compromise bill," 14 June 2018 And in each of those situations, votes from Kansas City area lawmakers either pushed a bill to passage or helped prevent a measure from making it to Gov. Jeff Colyer. — Hunter Woodall, kansascity, "That bill you love, that bill you hate? A KC area lawmaker likely cast a key vote | The Kansas City Star," 9 May 2018 Their support, along with their conservative colleagues, could have pushed the bill to passage. — Hunter Woodall, kansascity, "That bill you love, that bill you hate? A KC area lawmaker likely cast a key vote | The Kansas City Star," 9 May 2018 Council Clerk and Community Services Director Keith Benjamin worked behind the scenes in seeing the ordinance through to passage. — Jeff Piorkowski/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "South Euclid City Council passes controversial anti-discrimination ordinance," 10 Apr. 2018 The push for Sunday carryout sales — approved Wednesday by a House committee 12 to 1 and passed unanimously last week by a Senate panel — seems on a fast track to passage. — Robert King, Indianapolis Star, "Senate panel kills cold beer bill while Sunday alcohol sales gains momentum," 17 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'passage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for passage
passage
noun
English Language Learners Definition of passage
: a long, narrow space that connects one place to another
: a narrow space that people or things can move through
: an act of moving or passing from one place or state to another
See the full definition for passage in the English Language Learners Dictionary