pass out
Britishverb
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informal (intr) to become unconscious; faint
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(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
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(tr) to distribute
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Distribute, as in He passed out the papers . [Early 1900s]
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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.
Michele Lamaro, the totem of the back-row, skipped a pass out to Tommaso Menoncello and a five-point lead became 12.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 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 pair recruited allies to pass out the pins at Golden Globes pre-parties, asking stars if they would be willing to wear the small pins to take a stand during the awards ceremony.
From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026
He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026
He was afraid that Thornton would pass out of his life as Perrault and François and the Scotch half-breed had passed out.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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.
