past

noun

1. 1

   The period of time that has already happened, in contrast to the present and the future.

   a book about a time machine that can transport people back into the past

   1830, Daniel Webster, a speech The past, at least, is secure.

   The present is only intelligible in the light of the past, often a very remote past indeed.

   The Mesozoic landscape of southeastern Utah can tell us much about the past, and it's one of the most intriguing and beautiful landscapes on Earth.

2. 2

   The past tense.

adjective

1. 1

   Having already happened; in the past; finished.

   past glories

   The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.

2. 2

   Following expressions of time to indicate how long ago something happened; ago.

   That had been, what, three years past?

   Some four decades past, as a boy, I had a chance encounter and conversation with the late W.A. Poucher [...].

3. 3

   Of a period of time: having just gone by; previous.

   during the past year

   Sarkozy's total will be seen as a personal failure. It is the first time an outgoing president has failed to win a first-round vote in the past 50 years and makes it harder for Sarkozy to regain momentum.

4. 4

   Of a tense, expressing action that has already happened or a previously-existing state.

   past tense

adverb

1. 1

   In a direction that passes.

   I watched him walk past.

preposition

1. 1

   Beyond in place or quantity.

   the room past mine

   count past twenty

2. 2

   Any number of minutes after the last hour.

   What's the time? - It's now quarter past twelve midday (or 12.15pm) -O,K., we'll stop at half (past) twelve

   But they were stunned when Glen Johnson's error let in Peter Odemwingie to fire past Pepe Reina on 75 minutes.

3. 3

   No longer capable of.

   I'm past caring what he thinks of me.

4. 4

   Having recovered or moved on from (a traumatic experience, etc.).

5. 5

   Passing by, especially without stopping or being delayed.

   Ignore them, we'll play past them.

   Please don't drive past the fruit stand, I want to stop there.

verb

1. 1

   Also a form of passobsoletesimple past and past participle of pass

   Great Tuscane dames, as she their towns past by, / Wisht her their daughter-in-law, but frustrately.

Forms

plural

pasts

comparative

more past

superlative

most past