pass the time of day

verb

To exchange any ordinary greeting of civility.

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Meanings

verbpass the time of day (third-person singular simple present passes the time of day, present participle passing the time of day, simple past and past participle passed the time of day)

present singular third person passes the time of day · participle present passing the time of day · participle past passed the time of day · past passed the time of day

  1. To exchange any ordinary greeting of civility.
    1 more example

    He found a great many things to see, such as dandelions, and ants, and traction engines, and bolting horses, and furniture being removed, besides being kept busy raising his hat, and passing the time of day with people on the road, for he was a very well-bred young fellow, polite in his manners, graceful in his attitudes, and able to converse on a great variety of subjects, having read all the best Australian poets.

    1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 17
Cite this entry
APA

pass the time of day. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20the%20time%20of%20day

MLA

“pass the time of day.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20the%20time%20of%20day. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pass the time of day,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20the%20time%20of%20day.

Source: pass the time of day on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.