pass away

present singular third person passes away · participle present passing away · participle past passed away · past passed away

1. euphemisticidiomaticTo die.

   Her great grandmother passed away yesterday.

   2 more examples

   After a long battle with cancer, the professor passed away yesterday.

   He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away.

   1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

2. archaicliteraryTo disappear; to cease to be; to be no more.

   Returne with ſpeed, time paſſeth ſwift away, Our life is fraile, and we may dye to day.

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i

   3 more examples

   And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 21:4

   The place was solitary and deserted […] only the line of mouldering towers and battlements on the hill above spoke of the busy life that had long passed away.

   1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 7

   Though the writer has striven to dwell on aspects that have passed, or are passing away, it will be apparent that many features of Midland practice have been adopted as standard for the L.M.S.R. and other railways.

   1946 May and June, J. Alan Rannie, “The Midland of 35 Years Ago”, in Railway Magazine, page 200

3. obsoleteTo spend; to waste.

   Lest she pass away the flower of her age.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Wisdom of Sirach of Sirach-Chapter-42/#9 42:9