passing passing /ˈpæsɪŋ/

adjective

1. () Lasting a very short time  ( fugacious , transient , transitory , ephemeral , passing , short-lived , here today and gone tomorrow [Informal] , here today gone tomorrow [Informal] )
   lasting a very short time
    The ephemeral joys of childhood
   the ephemeral joys of childhood
    A passing fancy
   a passing fancy
    Youth's transient beauty
   youth's transient beauty
    Love is transitory but it is eternal
   love is transitory but it is eternal
    Fugacious blossoms
   fugacious blossoms
   
2. Hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough  ( passing , superficial , casual , cursory , perfunctory )
   hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
    A casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws
   a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws
    A passing glance
   a passing glance
    Perfunctory courtesy
   perfunctory courtesy
    In his paper, he showed a very superficial understanding of psychoanalytic theory
   In his paper, he showed a very superficial understanding of psychoanalytic theory
   
3. (football) of advancing the ball by throwing it  ( pass , passing )
   (football) of advancing the ball by throwing it
    A team with a good passing attack
   a team with a good passing attack
    A pass play
   a pass play
   
4. Allowing you to pass (e.g., an examination or inspection) satisfactorily  ( passing )
   allowing you to pass (e.g., an examination or inspection) satisfactorily
    A passing grade
   a passing grade
   

adverb

1. To an extraordinary degree  ( passing , surpassingly )
   to an extraordinary degree
    She was a surpassingly beautiful woman
   she was a surpassingly beautiful woman
    I will mention only one particular aspect of the current mess because ... this one is surely something new and passing strange
   I will mention only one particular aspect of the current mess because ... this one is surely something new and passing strange
   

noun

1. () (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate  ( passing game , passing play , pass , passing )
   (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
    The coach sent in a passing play on third and long
   the coach sent in a passing play on third and long
   
2. () Euphemistic expressions for death  ( departure , exit , expiration , going , loss , passing , release )
   euphemistic expressions for death
    Thousands mourned his passing
   thousands mourned his passing
   
3. Success in satisfying a test or requirement  ( pass , passing , qualifying )
   success in satisfying a test or requirement
    His future depended on his passing that test
   his future depended on his passing that test
    He got a pass in introductory chemistry
   he got a pass in introductory chemistry
   
4. Going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it  ( overtaking , passing )
   going by something that is moving in order to get in front of it
    She drove but well but her reckless passing of every car on the road frightened me
   she drove but well but her reckless passing of every car on the road frightened me
   
5. A bodily reaction of changing from one place or stage to another  ( passing , passage )
   a bodily reaction of changing from one place or stage to another
    The passage of air from the lungs
   the passage of air from the lungs
    The passing of flatus
   the passing of flatus
   
6. The end of something  ( passing )
   the end of something
    The passing of winter
   the passing of winter
   
7. The motion of one object relative to another  ( passage , passing )
   the motion of one object relative to another
    Stellar passings can perturb the orbits of comets
   stellar passings can perturb the orbits of comets