pas

[pah]

noun

plural

pas 

1. a step or series of steps in ballet.

2. right of precedence.

pas

¹

/ pɑ, pɑː /

noun

1. a dance step or movement, esp in ballet

2. rare,  the right to precede; precedence

PA's

²

plural noun

1. mountaineering a type of rock boot

PAS

³

abbreviation

1. physician-assisted suicide: a practice in which a terminally-ill person requests a medical practitioner to administer a lethal dose of medication

Word History and Origins

Origin of pas¹

1695–1705; < French < Latin passus. See pace ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pas¹

C18: French, literally: step

Origin of pas²

C20: named after P ierre A llain, French climber

Example Sentences

For centuries, appearing in public without the proper headgear was a faux pas.

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And then there is “faux pas,” which is an embarrassing blunder or lapse of good manners.

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Mr. Kerrigan’s faux pas could have been worse: He could have told his daughter that she was “one in a million”—which, in this country, means there are 347 others just like her.

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The perplexed look on her face instantly confirmed the faux pas.

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Which is just as well, because earlier this month Sam made the ultimate relationship faux pas.

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