past

Universal Words adjective, noun, preposition, adverb adjective 1 gone by in time: in past years / centuries / ages * in times past * The time for discussion is past. 2 [onlybeforenoun] gone by recently; just ended: I haven't seen much of her in the past few weeks. * The past month has been really busy at work. 3 [onlybeforenoun] belonging to an earlier time: past events * From past experience I'd say he'd probably forgotten the time. * past and present students of the college * Let's forget about who was more to blame-it's all past history. 4 [onlybeforenoun] (grammar) connected with the form of a verb used to express actions in the past noun 1 (the past) [sing.] the time that has gone by; things that happened in an earlier time: I used to go there often in the past. * the recent / distant past * She looked back on the past without regret. * Writing letters seems to be a thing of the past. 2 [C] a person's past life or career: We don't know anything about his past. * They say she has a 'past' (= bad things in her past life that she wishes to keep secret). 3 (the past) [sing.] (grammar) = PASTTENSE IDIOMS see DISTANT, LIVE preposition 1 (AmE also after) later than sth: half past two * ten (minutes) past six * There's a bus at twenty minutes past the hour (= at 1.20, 2.20, etc.). * We arrived at two o'clock and left at ten past (= ten minutes past two). * It was past midnight when we got home. 2 on or to the other side of sb/sth: We live in the house just past the church. * He hurried past them without stopping. * He just walked straight past us! 3 above or further than a particular point or stage: Unemployment is now past the 3 million mark. * The flowers are past their best. * He's past his prime. * She's long past retirement age. * Honestly, I'm past caring what happens (= I can no longer be bothered to care). IDIOMS past it (BrE, informal) too old to do what you used to be able to do; too old to be used for its normal function: In some sports you're past it by the age of 25. * That coat is looking decidedly past it. adverb 1 from one side of sth to the other: I called out to him as he ran past. 2 used to describe time passing: A week went past and nothing had changed.