Tim Bowen passes on his knowledge of the phrasal verbs associated with this word. Don't let this one pass you by!

Do you ever get the feeling that life is just passing you by (happening without you getting any advantage from it)? Perhaps you have recently been passed over for a job (not given the job despite being more experienced or older than the other candidates) or maybe you have passed up (not taken advantage of) the opportunity to do something new and exciting and you are now regretting it.

Not to worry. You might be forty but you could easily pass for (be accepted as) twenty-five. If you put on a suit you could easily pass yourself off as a businessman (make people believe you are something that you are not). You’re an intelligent person. Why don’t you pass on some of your skills to other people, especially if they are skills which have been passed down from generation to generation? What’s that? You’re not staying long? You're just passing through (staying for a short time)? Well, in that case let’s hope the rest of your journey passes off (happens) without further incident and that you don’t pass out (lose consciousness) from the heat like you did last time. If the worst comes to the worst, we might have to pass the hat round (collect money for you).

At the end of your journey through this world you will, of course, pass away or pass on (die). Hopefully, it will be when you have reached a ripe old age and not prematurely from a virus passed on to you by someone at work!