I. ˈpasij, -sēj, in sense 3d “ or pəˈsäzh noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from passer to pass + -age
1.
a. : the act or action of passing : movement or transference from one place or point to another, or through or across a space or element : transit
made the passage of their domain hazardous to settlers — American Guide Series: Texas
the passage of the air from the lungs — Encyc. Americana
the passage of the Red sea — W.L.Sperry
the passage of an electric current through the wire
b. obsolete : death
when he is fit and seasoned for his passage — Shakespeare
c.
(1) : the process of passing : a transition from one mode of being, condition, or stage to another
life enlightened is the passage from irrational passion to reasoned attachment — J.P.Anton
the indefinable passage of a season — American Guide Series: Minnesota
the passage from barbarism to civilization — Edward Clodd
(2) : a continuous movement or flow
wounds, illnesses, sorrows were all weakened by the passage of time — Stuart Cloete
d. : migration
the black ducks were on passage and we could see them coming in high from the north — V.C.Heilner
2.
a. : a means of passing : a road, path, channel, or course through or by which something passes : a way of exit or entrance : pass
most of the streets were mere alleys, passages between houses and groups of buildings — Edwin Benson
breathing passages
b. : a river crossing (as a ford or ferry)
they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan — Judg 12:6 (Authorized Version)
c. : a corridor or lobby giving access to the different rooms or parts of a building or apartment
thinking how easy it would be to get lost in this hotel, in all these long passages — Graham Greene
3.
a.
(1) : a specific act of traveling or passing from one place to another : a journey especially by sea or air between two points
the outward passage was uneventful
made a swift passage between New York and Southampton
the rocket satellite's passages were coming so early they would not show up in the bright sky of sunset — New York Times
(2) : a privilege of conveyance as a passenger : accommodations
was able to secure passage on the next flight
took passage on a freighter
b. : an obsolete dice game for two played with three dice — compare passe-dix
c. : the passing of a legislative measure or law : enactment
government leaders bent upon securing passage of their bills — F.A.Ogg & Harold Zink
d. : a slow lofty trot with a precise cadence that is often used in traversing
e. : a movement or an evacuation of the bowels
4.
a. : the possibility or liberty of passing : a right or permission to pass
attempted to force passage through the town — C.A.Willoughby
b. : a toll formerly collected from passengers in England
5.
a. : something that happens or is done : occurrence , act , transaction
our American experience in psychological warfare from 1941 to 1945 was often chaotic and mad; and it had its wholly comic passages — A.M.Schlesinger b. 1917
b. : something that takes place between two persons mutually : a mutual act or transaction (as a negotiation, a quarrel, or lovemaking)
this passage of arms and wits amused the town — Robert Browning
6.
a. : a usually brief portion of a written work or speech that is quoted or referred to by itself as relevant to a point under discussion or as noteworthy for content or style
one of the finest passages in the novel
betrays his inaccuracy in many passages
this passage was greeted with laughter by the audience
b. : a phrase or short section of a musical composition ; especially : a section demonstrating virtuosity in performance
a scale passage
the passage in arpeggios
c. : a detail of a painting or other work of art
find passages to admire in his best canvases — J.T.Soby
the picture contains several pretty passages of color — Clive Bell
7.
a. : the act or action of causing something to pass
b.
(1) : incubation of a pathogen (as a virus) in a tissue culture, a developing egg, or a living organism to increase the amount of pathogen or to alter its characteristics
(2) : an instance of such passage
Synonyms: see way
II. ˈpasij, -sēj, pəˈsäzh verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: French passager, alteration of passéger, from Italian passeggiare, from passare to pass, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin — more at pass
intransitive verb
: to move sideways in riding or being ridden
the horse passages gracefully
transitive verb
: to cause (a horse) to move sideways
III. ˈpasij, -sēj verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: passage (I)
intransitive verb
1. : to engage in a passage of arms or wits
2. : to go past or across (as in a voyage) : cross
passaged to Europe last month
transitive verb
: to subject to passage
the virus has been passaged in series seven times — Journal American Medical Association