in passing

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The phrase "in passing" is an adverbial expression that means something is mentioned casually or briefly, often while talking about something else. It's like saying that the information is not the main focus of the conversation but is included incidentally.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "in passing" when you want to indicate that something is mentioned quickly or as an aside, rather than being the main topic of discussion.

Example:

• "During our conversation about vacation plans, she mentioned in passing that she might move to another city next year."

Advanced Usage:

• "In passing" can also be used in more formal contexts, such as academic writing or speeches, to indicate a quick mention of a supporting point or idea.

Variants:

• There are no direct variants of "in passing," but similar phrases could be "incidentally" or "as a side note."

Different Meanings:

• The phrase primarily has one meaning related to casual mention, but it can also imply that the information is not fully developed or explored.

Synonyms:

• Incidentally
• Briefly
• Casually
• In a casual manner

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• By the way: This is often used to introduce a new topic or point that is not the main focus.

  • Example: "By the way, I saw your brother at the store yesterday."

• On the side: This can imply something done in addition to the main activity, similar to "in passing" but usually refers to actions rather than words.

  • Example: "She has a job on the side while studying full-time."

Summary:

To sum up, "in passing" is a useful phrase to describe information that is casually mentioned while discussing something else.

Academic

Adverb

1. incidentally; in the course of doing something else
   • he made this remark in passing

Synonyms

• en passant