“past” – English explanatory dictionary

prep 1. later than, after ○ It’s past the children’s bedtime. ○ It’s ten past nine (9.10) – we’ve missed the TV news. 2. from one side to the other in front of something ○ If you go past the bank, you’ll see the shop on your left. ○ She walked past me without saying anything. ○ The car went past at at least 60 miles an hour. (NOTE: Past is used for times between o’clock and the half-hour: 3.05 = five past three; 3.15 = a quarter past three; 3.25 = twenty-five past three; 3.30 = half past three. For times after half past see to. Past is also used with many verbəː to go past, to drive past, to fly past, etc.) ■ adj which has passed ○ He has spent the past year working in France. ○ The time for talking is past – what we need is action. ■ noun 1. the time before now ○ In the past we always had an office party just before Christmas. 2. □ the past (tense) the form of a verb which shows that something happened before the present time ○ ‘Sang’ is the past (tense) of the verb ‘to sing’.

a. [From Pass, v.] Of or pertaining to a former time or state; neither present nor future; gone by; elapsed; ended; spent; as past troubles; past offences. ´Past ages.´ Milton. Past master. See under Master.

n. A former time or state; a state of things gone by. ´The past, at least, is secure.´ D. Webster. “The present is only intelligible in the light of the past, often a very remote past indeed.” Trench.

prep.
1. Beyond, in position, or degree; further than; beyond the reach or influence of. ´Who being past feeling.´ Eph. iv. 19. ´Galled past endurance.´ Macaulay. “Until we be past thy borders.” Num. xxi. 22. “Love, when once past government, is consequently past shame.” L’Estrange.
2. Beyond, in time; after; as past the hour. “Is it not past two o’clock?” Shak.
3. Above; exceeding; more than. [R.] “Not past three quarters of a mile.” Shak. “Bows not past three quarters of a yard long.” Spenser.

adv. By; beyond; as he ran past. “The alarum of drums swept past.” Longfellow.