Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Lasting only a short time; brief or transitory: Describes something that exists or occurs for a very limited duration.
   • Done or given quickly and without thorough attention: Describes a cursory, hasty, or superficial action.
   • Satisfactory for meeting a standard or requirement: Describes a performance or result that is adequate to pass a test or evaluation.
   • Relating to the act of moving the ball by throwing it in sports: Describes a play or strategy in games like football that involves throwing the ball to a teammate.

2. Adverb:

   • To a very great degree; exceedingly: An archaic or literary intensifier meaning "extremely" or "very."

3. Noun:

   • The act of moving past or going by something: The action of overtaking or going beyond a point or object.
   • The act of successfully meeting a test requirement: The fact of achieving a satisfactory grade or result.
   • The process of changing from one state or place to another: A transition or movement, such as the passage of time or substances.
   • The end or disappearance of something: The conclusion or cessation of a period or condition.
   • Euphemism for death: The act of dying.
   • (American Football) A play involving a forward throw: A specific type of play where the ball is thrown to a teammate.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • She gave the report only a passing glance. (She looked at it very briefly and superficially.)
  • He was relieved to get a passing grade on the exam. (His grade was satisfactory.)
  • The team has a strong passing game. (The team is good at throwing the ball.)
  • It was just a passing thought, soon forgotten. (It was a brief, transient idea.)

• Adverb:

  • The old tale described a knight of passing great strength. (The story described a knight of exceedingly great strength.)

• Noun:

  • The passing of the train shook the house. (The act of the train going by caused vibration.)
  • Her passing of the final exam was a great achievement. (Her success in meeting the exam requirement.)
  • We noted the passing of the seasons. (We observed the transition from one season to the next.)
  • The whole town mourned his passing. (The whole town grieved his death.)
  • The quarterback called for a passing play on third down. (The quarterback chose a play involving a throw.)

Advanced Usage

• In the passing: Occurring incidentally or during the course of something else.

  • He mentioned the news only in the passing. (He mentioned it briefly and casually.)

• Passing strange: An archaic or literary phrase meaning "extremely strange."

  • It is passing strange that he never called. (It is exceedingly strange.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pass (verb/noun): The base form, meaning to go by, succeed, or transfer.
• Passer (noun): One who passes, especially a player who throws the ball.
• Passage (noun): The act or process of passing; a corridor.

Synonyms

• Adjective (brief): Transient, fleeting, ephemeral, momentary.
• Adjective (cursory): Perfunctory, casual, superficial, hasty.
• Noun (death): Demise, departure, expiration.

Related Phrases

• Passing fancy: A brief or temporary interest or liking.
  • His interest in painting was just a passing fancy.
• Passing remark: A comment made casually or without emphasis.
  • She made a passing remark about the weather.

Idioms

• A passing acquaintance: A slight, non-intimate knowledge of someone or something.
  • I have only a passing acquaintance with French literature.
• With each passing day: As time goes by; progressively.
  • With each passing day, her skills improved.

Adjective

1. hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
   • a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws
   • a passing glance
   • perfunctory courtesy
2. allowing you to pass (e.g., an examination or inspection) satisfactorily
   • a passing grade
3. of advancing the ball by throwing it
   • a team with a good passing attack
   • a pass play
4. lasting a very short time
   • the ephemeral joys of childhood
   • a passing fancy
   • youth's transient beauty
   • love is transitory but it is eternal
   • fugacious blossoms

Adverb

1. to an extreme degree
   • extremely cold
   • extremely unpleasant

Noun

1. success in satisfying a test or requirement
   • his future depended on his passing that test
   • he got a pass in introductory chemistry
2. going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it
   • she drove but well but her reckless passing of every car on the road frightened me
3. a bodily reaction of changing from one place or stage to another
   • the passage of air from the lungs
   • the passing of flatus
4. the end of something
   • the passing of winter
5. the motion of one object relative to another
   • stellar passings can perturb the orbits of comets
6. euphemistic expressions for death
   • thousands mourned his passing
7. (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
   • the coach sent in a passing play on third and long