pass out
Britishverb
-
informal (intr) to become unconscious; faint
-
(intr) (esp of an officer cadet) to qualify for a military commission; complete a course of training satisfactorily
General Smith passed out from Sandhurst in 1933
-
(tr) to distribute
-
Distribute, as in He passed out the papers . [Early 1900s]
-
Also, pass out cold . Faint, as in When she heard the news she passed out cold . [Early 1900s] Also see out cold .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before the knockout round, the brand dispatched teams of local ranchbassadors to multiple stadiums with one goal: pass out samples to every fan in sight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Maybe, just maybe I would have been able to pass out on the soft.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
While waiting on a bench at the police station, officers said Diarra was seen to pass out and paramedics were called who tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead.
From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026
The legislation failed to collect the votes needed to pass out of committee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2026
I led Cade down a hallway behind the living room, assuming we’d find someplace where a boy could pass out and not be noticed.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
