forward pass

American  

noun

Football.

1. a pass in which the ball is thrown in the direction of advance toward the opponent's goal.

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forward pass British  

noun

1. Also called: throw-forward.  rugby an illegal pass towards the opponent's dead-ball line

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Etymology

Origin of forward pass

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Which is how it quickly instituted some of the most notable shifts in the way the game is played since the adoption of the forward pass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

And Ireland were let off the hook when Lynagh's try was ruled out because of Tommaso Menoncello's forward pass to the Benetton wing.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Each forward pass strengthens the wave, while each backward pass weakens it.

From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2026

Already, Tipping is as allergic to subtlety as a forward pass right down the middle on the 50-yard line — or whatever football play would be a really obvious one.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

This is equally true in fact for every man on the team, for every man on the team has something to do on a forward pass.

From The Forward Pass in Football by Berry, Elmer