past

past1 [ pæst ] function word ***

Past can be used in the following ways:

as a preposition (followed by a noun):

It's past your bedtime.

I walked past the post office.

as an adverb (without a following noun):

A policeman walked past.

Months went past and nothing happened.

1. ) passing a person, place, or thing going near someone or something while you are on your way to another place:

I walked past several hotels on my way to the gas station.

The river winds its way past the picturesque village of Comrie.

The thieves somehow got past all the alarms.

She heard music coming from inside the van as it drove past.

2. ) after a particular time

a ) used for saying what time it is when it is not more than thirty minutes after one, two, etc. o'clock:

It's a quarter past three.

I'll meet you at half past five.

It's exactly ten past three.

b ) later than a particular time:

It was past midnight by the time we arrived.

3. ) farther away than a place farther than a particular place along a road, path, river, etc.:

Turn right a mile past the graveyard and you'll see the church.

just past: You'll find the town about 80 miles south of Missoula, just past Darby.

4. ) looking toward a point behind someone/something looking toward a place behind someone or something instead of directly at them:

right past: I tried to catch his eye, but he stared right past me.

straight past: Tom seemed to be looking straight past me at the wall.

5. ) after a particular stage used for saying that someone or something has passed a particular stage or point:

He was past his prime as a player by then.

Unlike my sisters, I never got past the sixth grade at school.

6. ) when time passes used for saying that a period of time passes:

The months went past, and still no word from her.

The days seem to be just whizzing past.

7. ) no longer thinking or feeling something used for saying that your attitudes or feelings have changed in such a way that you no longer think about something:

I used to worry about him coming home late, but now I'm past caring.

I wouldn't put it past someone (to do something) SPOKEN

used for saying that you think someone is capable of doing something bad:

I wouldn't put it past him to steal from his own family.

past it INFORMAL

no longer able to do what you used to do because you are too old:

Many employers seem to consider anyone over 50 to be past it.

past

past 2 [ pæst ] noun ***

1. ) the past the time before the present, and everything that happened then:

Archaeology helps us to understand the past.

He has made similar promises in the past.

The business has grown steadily in the recent past.

Anyway, it's all in the past now (=something unpleasant is over and can be forgotten).

2. ) count usually singular the things that someone has done or the things that have happened to someone or something during the time before now:

a legacy of our expansionist past

My past as a player has undoubtedly helped me in my career as a coach.

a ) singular an earlier part of someone's life that they keep secret because other people would not approve of it:

We discovered that the author had a murky past.

Only his family and closest friends know about his past.

3. ) the past LINGUISTICS the form of a verb that is used for describing states that existed or things that happened before the present time

put the past behind you

to forget about what has happened in the past and start your life again

a thing of the past

something that no longer happens or exists:

Analog televisions could soon be a thing of the past.

=> LIVE1

past

past 3 [ pæst ] adjective ***

1. ) only before noun happening or existing in the period of time that has just finished:

The patient's condition has improved over the past 24 hours.

He has spent the past two weeks traveling around the country.

In the past year, nearly 15,000 jobs have been lost in California.

a ) happening or existing at any earlier time:

I know from past experience that this work is very time-consuming.

The report is highly critical of the department's past performance.

He is a past president of the union.

The shaded areas on the map show the past and present extent of the forest.

2. ) ended or no longer existing:

Summer is past, and autumn is upon us.

My running days are long past.