pass by
PAHS BY
/pɑːs baɪ/
To go past something or someone; to happen without being noticed or used by someone.
Can be physical (walking past a shop) or metaphorical (an opportunity being missed).
The story behind the word. The word 'pass' comes from Latin 'passus' (step). To 'pass by' is literally to take steps near something without stopping.
Word relationships
- go past: Go past is more literal and less likely to be used metaphorically.
- overlook: Overlook implies a failure to notice, whereas pass by implies the thing moved past you.
- stop: Stopping is the opposite of continuing to move past.
Commonly confused with
- bypass: Bypass is often a deliberate choice to avoid a specific route or person.
Word family
- passer-by (noun): A person who happens to be going past something.
Collocations
- pass by the house
- let an opportunity pass by
- watch the world pass by
Idioms & expressions
- pass by on the other side
Example sentences
- "I sat on the bench and watched the crowds pass by." Observing the world from a stationary point.
- "Don't let life pass by without taking a moment to appreciate what you have." Missing out on life's moments.
Memory hook
Think of a bus that doesn't stop at your station—it just passes by. Pass by, don't stay.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'pass away', which means to die.
Fun facts
- The noun form 'passer-by' is one of the few English words where the plural 's' is added to the first word: 'passers-by'.
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