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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.

Search results for 'past':

past adj 1 referring to an earlier time; of long ago; bygone. 2 recently ended; just gone by • the past year. 3 over; finished. 4 former; previous • past presidents. 5 grammar said of the tense of a verb: indicating an action or condition which took place or began in the past, such as the simple past (as in John wrote the letter), past progressive (as in John was writing the letter), etc. Compare future (noun 2), present1, perfect, pluperfect, imperfect. prep 1 up to and beyond • went past me. 2 after in time or age • past your bedtime. 3 beyond; farther away than • the one past the library. 4 having advanced too far for something • She's past playing with dolls. 5 beyond the reach of something • past helpWhat he did was past belief. adverb 1 so as to pass by • watched me go past. 2 ago • two months past. noun 1 (usually the past) a the time before the present; b events, etc belonging to this time. 2 one's earlier life or career • My past is quite uninteresting. 3 a disreputable episode or period earlier in one's life • a woman with a past. 4 grammar a the past tense; b a verb in the past tense. not put it past someone colloq to believe them quite liable or disposed to do a certain thing. past it or past one's best colloq having lost the vigour of one's youth or prime.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: an obsolete past participle of pass.

past adj 1 referring to an earlier time; of long ago; bygone. 2 recently ended; just gone by • the past year. 3 over; finished. 4 former; previous • past presidents. 5 grammar said of the tense of a verb: indicating an action or condition which took place or began in the past, such as the simple past (as in John wrote the letter), past progressive (as in John was writing the letter), etc. Compare future (noun 2), present1, perfect, pluperfect, imperfect. prep 1 up to and beyond • went past me. 2 after in time or age • past your bedtime. 3 beyond; farther away than • the one past the library. 4 having advanced too far for something • She's past playing with dolls. 5 beyond the reach of something • past helpWhat he did was past belief. adverb 1 so as to pass by • watched me go past. 2 ago • two months past. noun 1 (usually the past) a the time before the present; b events, etc belonging to this time. 2 one's earlier life or career • My past is quite uninteresting. 3 a disreputable episode or period earlier in one's life • a woman with a past. 4 grammar a the past tense; b a verb in the past tense. not put it past someone colloq to believe them quite liable or disposed to do a certain thing. past it or past one's best colloq having lost the vigour of one's youth or prime.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: an obsolete past participle of pass.

past adj 1 referring to an earlier time; of long ago; bygone. 2 recently ended; just gone by • the past year. 3 over; finished. 4 former; previous • past presidents. 5 grammar said of the tense of a verb: indicating an action or condition which took place or began in the past, such as the simple past (as in John wrote the letter), past progressive (as in John was writing the letter), etc. Compare future (noun 2), present1, perfect, pluperfect, imperfect. prep 1 up to and beyond • went past me. 2 after in time or age • past your bedtime. 3 beyond; farther away than • the one past the library. 4 having advanced too far for something • She's past playing with dolls. 5 beyond the reach of something • past helpWhat he did was past belief. adverb 1 so as to pass by • watched me go past. 2 ago • two months past. noun 1 (usually the past) a the time before the present; b events, etc belonging to this time. 2 one's earlier life or career • My past is quite uninteresting. 3 a disreputable episode or period earlier in one's life • a woman with a past. 4 grammar a the past tense; b a verb in the past tense. not put it past someone colloq to believe them quite liable or disposed to do a certain thing. past it or past one's best colloq having lost the vigour of one's youth or prime.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: an obsolete past participle of pass.