Etymology
1. c.1275 (trans.) "to go by (something)," also "to cross over," from O.Fr.
passer, from V.L.
*passare "to step, walk, pass," from L.
passus "step, pace" (see pace (1)). Intrans. sense of "to go on, to move forward, make one's way" is attested from 1297. Fig. sense of "to experience, undergo" (as in
pass the time) is first recorded 1390. The meaning "to be thought to be something one is not" (esp. in racial sense) is from 1935, from
pass oneself off (as), first found 1809. The general verb sense of "to be accepted as equivalent" is from 1596. Sense of "to go through an examination successfully" is from 1429. Meaning "decline to do something" is attested from 1869, originally in cards (euchre). In football, hockey, soccer, etc., the meaning "to transfer the ball or puck to another player" is from c.1865. Colloquial
make a pass "offer an amorous advance" first recorded 1928, perhaps from a sporting sense.
Pass up "decline, refuse" is attested from 1896.
Pass the buck is from 1865, said to be poker slang reference to the buck horn-handled knife that was passed around to signify whose turn it was to deal.
Pass the hat "seek contributions" is from 1762.
Pass-fail as a grading method is attested from 1959.
2. From Middle English passen, from Old French passer (“to step, walk, pass”), from Vulgar Latin *passāre (“step, walk, pass”), derived from Latin passus (“a step”), from Proto-Italic *pat-s-tus, from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread, stretch out”). Cognate with Old English fæþm (“armful, fathom”). More at fathom.
3. Displaced native Old English genġan. See: Middle English '
passen', Old French '
passer'.
Verbs referencing "pass"
Esperanto
pasi, German, old spelling
passieren, Ido pasar, Spanish
pasar, Welsh
pasio, Scots Gaelic
pasaig, Chinese, Mandarin
派司, Zulu
phasa.