past

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from past participle of passen to pass Date: 14th century 1. a. ago <

12 years past

> b. just gone or elapsed <

for the past few months

> 2. having existed or taken place in a period before the present ; bygone 3. of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is expressive of elapsed time and that in English is usually formed by internal vowel change (as in sang) or by the addition of a suffix (as in laughed) 4. having served as a specified officer in an organization <

past president

> II. preposition Date: 14th century 1. a. beyond the age for or of <

past playing with dolls

> b. after <

half past two

> 2. a. at the farther side of ; beyond b. in a course or direction going close to and then beyond <

drove past the house

> 3. obsolete more than 4. beyond the capacity, range, or sphere of <

past belief

> III. noun Date: 1520 1. a. time gone by b. something that happened or was done in the past <

regret the past

> 2. a. the past tense of a language b. a verb form in the past tense 3. a past life, history, or course of action; especially one that is kept secret • pastless adjective IV. adverb Date: 1546 so as to reach and go beyond a point near at hand <

drove past

>