Past

/pɑːst/

/pæst/

Definition & Meaning of "past"

The past

NOUN

the time that has passed

past times

yesteryear

before

yesterday

Example

I learned a lot from the mistakes I made in the past.

In the past, people traveled by horse-drawn carriages.

1.1

(grammar) the past tense or form of a verb, indicating actions or states that occurred in a previous time

past

past tense

preterite

Example

The word " walked " is the past of the verb " walk. "

In English, regular verbs form their past by adding " -ed " to the base form.

1.2

a period in a person's history that is viewed as shameful or problematic, often suggesting hidden or regrettable events or actions

Example

Despite his friendly demeanor, whispers about his past made some people wary of him.

She tried to move on, but her past continued to haunt her in unexpected ways.

1.3

the historical background of a place, country, group, or other entities, encompassing the events and experiences that have shaped their development over time

Example

The ancient ruins offer a glimpse into the past of the once-great civilization.

The museum exhibits artifacts that tell the past of the indigenous people of the region.

past

ADJECTIVE

done or existed before the present time

former

Example

Her past experiences shaped her perspective on life.

Past mistakes served as valuable lessons for future decision-making.

occurred or ended recently, often within a specific, near timeframe

last

prior

Example

I 've met with the client several times over the past week to finalize the project details.

The past month has been filled with exciting developments at the office.

used to indicate how many years or time units have elapsed

ago

back

since

Example

He graduated from college 12 years past and has since built a successful career.

The building was constructed 50 years past, but it still stands strong today.

no longer present or existing

all over

ended

gone

over

terminated

Example

The storm has passed, and the danger is now past.

The difficult times are past, and we can finally focus on the future.

(of a person) having previously held a specified position or title within an organization

former

late

old

sometime

Example

The past president of the club was honored for her years of service.

Past champions were invited to the ceremony to celebrate the tournament's history.

(grammar) referring to tense that indicates an action that has already occurred or a state that previously existed

Example

The past tense of " go " is " went, " indicating the action has already happened.

She used the past tense to describe her trip to the mountains last summer.

past

ADVERB

from one side of something to the other

Example

The students walked past the library on their way to class.

The train sped past the small villages along the route.

used to indicate that a particular time has already gone by

Example

Three hours went past before they finally arrived at their destination.

The deadline slipped past without anyone noticing.

past

PREPOSITION

used to indicate a point in time that is beyond or later than a specified moment

after

Example

It 's already half past eleven; we missed the deadline.

She arrived at a quarter past two, just as promised.

used to indicate movement in a direction beyond or to the other side of someone or something

Example

She walked past the house and continued down the street.

They ran past the crowd and reached the front of the stage.

used to indicate a point or stage that has been surpassed or exceeded

beyond

Example

He ate past his usual portion and felt uncomfortably full.

She pushed herself past her physical limits to complete the marathon.

Nearby Words

past is a guidepost not a hitching post

past master

past participle

past perfect progressive

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Definition & Meaning of "past"

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