past
past
Pronunciation
American English: /pæst/
British English (Received Pronunciation): /pɑːst/
Let's break down the sounds for each syllable. Since "past" is a single-syllable word, the breakdown applies to the entire word.
For American English (/pæst/):
p - /p/ (voiceless bilabial plosive)
a - /æ/ (near-open front unrounded vowel, as in "cat")
s - /s/ (voiceless alveolar fricative)
t - /t/ (voiceless alveolar plosive)
For British English (/pɑːst/):
p - /p/ (voiceless bilabial plosive)
a - /ɑː/ (open back unrounded vowel, as in "father")
s - /s/ (voiceless alveolar fricative)
t - /t/ (voiceless alveolar plosive)
Word Form Variations
1. As a Noun:
The past (singular, uncountable): This refers to the time that has gone by, or the events that have already happened.
Example: "We should learn from the past."
A past (singular, countable, usually in specific contexts): This can refer to a person's individual history or background, especially when it might contain secrets or negative aspects.
Example: "He has a checkered past."
Pasts (plural, countable): This is less common but can be used when referring to multiple individual pasts.
Example: "The committee examined the pasts of all the candidates."
The past tense (grammar term): This refers to the grammatical form of verbs used to describe actions in the past.
Example: "The past tense of 'go' is 'went'."
Past participle (grammar term): This refers to a specific verb form used in perfect tenses and passive voice. While "past" itself isn't a verb, it is the name of this grammatical form.
Example: "The past participle of 'eat' is 'eaten'."
2. As an Adjective:
Past (attributive): Describes something that happened or existed before the present time.
Example: "In past years, this area was a forest."
Example: "She referred to her past experiences."
Past (predicative): Used after a linking verb (like "be") to indicate that a situation has ended or no longer exists.
Example: "The danger is past."
Past (referring to a recent period): Used to indicate a period of time that has just finished.
Example: "Over the past few days, it has been raining continuously."
Past (grammar): Related to the past tenses of a verb.
Example: "The simple past tense uses the -ed ending for regular verbs."
3. As a Preposition:
Past (indicating location/movement): Beyond, on the other side of, or moving by something.
Example: "He walked past the house."
Example: "The ball flew past my head."
Past (indicating time): After a particular hour (especially with "half past").
Example: "It's half past six."
Example: "It's past midnight, you should be in bed."
Past (indicating a stage or point): Beyond a certain stage or point.
Example: "He's well past retirement age."
Example: "She was past caring what happened."
4. As an Adverb:
Past (indicating movement/position): Moving by or beyond a point.
Example: "A car drove past."
Example: "He hurried past without a glance."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The entire span of time that has elapsed, encompassing all events, experiences, and circumstances that have occurred before the present moment. It refers to a period that is no longer occurring.
Synonyms: antiquity, history, bygone days, yore, yesteryear, what was
Antonyms: future, present, now, tomorrow
Definition: An individual's personal history, experiences, or background, often implying a collection of significant events or characteristics that have shaped their identity or current situation. This usage often carries a connotation of secrecy or something to be revealed.
Synonyms: background, history, record, origins, antecedents, life story
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; perhaps "future" in the sense of what is yet to happen for the individual)
Adjective
Definition: Having already occurred, happened, or existed; belonging to a time prior to the present.
Synonyms: former, previous, earlier, preceding, bygone, erstwhile, old
Antonyms: future, present, coming, next, upcoming
Definition: Beyond a certain point, stage, or period of time, indicating that something is no longer applicable, possible, or relevant.
Synonyms: over, ended, finished, completed, gone, expired, done
Antonyms: current, active, ongoing, present
Preposition
Definition: Moving or extending beyond a specific point, object, or boundary; on the far side of.
Synonyms: beyond, by, across, through (in the sense of passing through and exiting)
Antonyms: before, in front of, short of, behind
Definition: Later than a specified time or age, indicating that a particular moment or age has been exceeded.
Synonyms: after, beyond, later than
Antonyms: before, prior to, earlier than, until
Adverb
Definition: So as to go by or beyond something or someone; moving from one side of a point to the other.
Synonyms: by, beyond, onwards (when referring to continued movement through something)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms in terms of direction; perhaps "still" or "here" in a static sense)
Examples of Use
Books:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859 - using "past" implicitly by describing a bygone era)
"The Great Gatsby had an aura of impenetrable mystery about his past." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925 - referring to a person's history)
Newspapers:
"Economists are looking to past recessions for clues on how the current downturn might unfold." (The Wall Street Journal)
"The city council approved the budget, moving past the contentious debate that had stalled it for weeks." (The Guardian)
"Is the age of landline phones officially a thing of the past?" (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"The influencer reflected on her turbulent past and how it shaped her journey to sobriety." (Medium.com)
"How to create a digital detox plan and leave screen addiction in the past." (Healthline.com)
"Archaeologists unearthed artifacts from a civilization long past." (Smithsonianmag.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The Bourne Identity" (2002) - Jason Bourne spends the movie trying to uncover his own past and identity.
Television Series: "Westworld" (HBO) often explores themes of artificial intelligence grappling with their programmed pasts and memories.
Music Album Title: "21" by Adele (2011) – The album often reflects on relationships and experiences from her past.
Video Game: "Red Dead Redemption 2" (Rockstar Games, 2018) – The protagonist, Arthur Morgan, often reflects on his past actions and the changing world.
Podcast Episode Title: "Revisiting the Past: The Roaring Twenties" (NPR's Throughline)
General Public Discourse:
"We need to learn from the mistakes of the past to build a better future." (Common political rhetoric, e.g., frequently heard in speeches by President Biden)
"It's already half past six, we should get going if we want to make it on time." (Everyday conversation)
"She walked right past me without even saying hello." (Casual observation)
"The deadline for applications is well past." (Workplace communication)
"Let's put our differences in the past and move forward." (Common phrase for reconciliation)
10 Quotes Using Past
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (George Santayana)
"The past is never dead. It's not even past." (William Faulkner)
"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." (Thomas Jefferson)
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." (Buddha)
"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." (George Orwell)
"The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." (Walt Disney)
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." (L.P. Hartley)
"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future." (George Bernard Shaw)
"You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret... is to press play." (Jay Asher)
"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real." (Cormac McCarthy)
Etymology
The word "past" essentially comes from the idea of "passing by" or "going beyond."
Its journey began from Latin. The root is thought to be from the Latin word "passus", meaning "step" or "pace." This word is also related to the verb "pandere", which meant "to spread" or "stretch out." So, picture the idea of taking a step and moving across or beyond something.
This Latin idea then made its way into Old French as "passer," which meant "to go by," "pass," or "cross." This form already had the sense of movement and time passing.
In Middle English (around 1150-1500), "past" emerged as a variant of the word "passed," which is the past participle of the verb "pass." So, if you "passed" something, it was "past" you.
First Known Use and Meaning:
Around 1300 (Middle English): This is when we start seeing "past" used in English.
Initial Meanings: It was first used to describe something that was "done with, over, or no longer existing." It also quickly took on the meaning of "gone by, belonging to a time previous to this" (like "past events").
By the 14th century, it was also commonly used as a preposition meaning "beyond in time or position" (like "walk past the house" or "it's past midnight").
Its use as a noun, referring to "times gone by" or "the time that has preceded the present," developed around the 15th century.
So, in simple terms, "past" started as a way to say something had "passed" or gone by, and from there, it grew to mean all the things that have already happened or that are behind us, both in time and space.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Past
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using the word "past":
In the past: Referring to a time before the present.
Example: "In the past, people communicated mostly by letter."
A thing of the past: Something that no longer exists or happens.
Example: "Typewriters are largely a thing of the past."
Beyond (one's) past: To move on from previous mistakes or experiences.
Example: "He's trying to live beyond his troubled past."
Cast/Leave the past behind: To forget or disregard previous events or problems.
Example: "It's time to leave the past behind and focus on the future."
From the past: Originating from an earlier time.
Example: "This old photograph is a relic from the past."
Half past: A common way to tell time, meaning 30 minutes after the hour.
Example: "It's half past three."
No past, no future: An idiom suggesting that without a history, there's no direction forward.
Example: "Without remembering our origins, there's no past, no future."
Past caring: Beyond the point of being concerned or bothered.
Example: "She's been through so much, she's completely past caring."
Past due: Overdue for payment or action.
Example: "Your library book is two weeks past due."
Past its prime: No longer at its best or most effective.
Example: "The old car was definitely past its prime."
Past repair: Too damaged to be fixed.
Example: "The relationship was past repair after years of arguments."
Past recognition: Changed so much as to be unrecognizable.
Example: "The old neighborhood was renovated almost past recognition."
The past is prologue: A saying meaning that historical events set the stage for current and future events.
Example: "The diplomat noted that for this conflict, the past is prologue."
To put something in the past: To consider an event or situation finished and no longer relevant.
Example: "Let's put that misunderstanding in the past and move on."
To run/walk past: To move quickly or directly by something or someone.
Example: "I saw her run past my window earlier."
Water under the bridge/over the dam (not using "past", but similar effect): Events that are in the past and no longer important.
Example: "Don't worry about that old argument; it's just water under the bridge now."
A bygone era (using a synonym for "past" for similar effect): A period in time that has long since passed.
Example: "The fashions of the 1920s belong to a bygone era."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of past from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
