pas ‧ sage W2 /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ pass , ↑ overpass ≠ ↑ underpass , ↑ passage , ↑ passing ; adjective : ↑ passing , ↑ passable ≠ ↑ impassable ; verb : ↑ pass ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: passer ; ⇨ ↑ pass 1 ]
1 . IN A BUILDING [countable] a long narrow area with walls on either side which connects one room or place to another ⇨ corridor :
My office is just along the passage.
We walked down a narrow passage to the back of the building.
an underground passage
2 . FROM A BOOK ETC [countable] a short part of a book, poem, speech, piece of music etc
passage from/of
He read out a short passage from the Bible.
3 . MOVEMENT [uncountable] formal the movement of people or vehicles along a road or across an area of land
passage of
The bridge isn’t strong enough to allow the passage of heavy vehicles.
Both sides agreed to allow the free passage of medical supplies into the area.
He was guaranteed safe passage out of the country.
4 . OF A LAW [uncountable] when a new law is discussed and accepted by a parliament or Congress
passage through
The bill was amended several times during its passage through Congress.
They are expecting the new legislation to have quite a rough passage (=be discussed and criticized a lot) through Parliament.
5 . JOURNEY [countable] old-fashioned a journey on a ship
passage to
My parents couldn’t afford the passage to America.
6 . INSIDE SB’S BODY [countable] a tube in your body that air or liquid can pass through:
the nasal passages
7 . WAY THROUGH [singular] a way through something
passage through
The police forced a passage through the crowd.
8 . the passage of time the passing of time:
With the passage of time, things began to look more hopeful.
⇨ rite of passage at ↑ rite (2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ narrow
A narrow passage led to a small room at the back of the house.
▪ dark
He groped his way along the dark passage.
▪ an underground/subterranean passage
The air in these underground passages is cold and damp.
▪ a secret passage
The bookcase moved to reveal a secret passage.
■ phrases
▪ a maze of passages (=many passages, in which it is easy to get lost)
We wandered through a maze of passages.