Revised as of
23 Sept 2022
This post started as an exploration of past time versus pastime…and all too quickly pass time got added.
I do have to confess that I thought past time would be similar to pastime, and I was so wrong! Probably because I’m such a procrastinator that being past time in getting something done is something of a pastime for me.
Fortunately, I was able to pass time writing up this three-way word confusion.
Okay, okay, getting serious. Pass time is an idiom that I know many of us employ. There are so many moments in life when we have to wait our turn, that we indulge in doing something to help the tedium of waiting go by.
As for past time, it’s a noun phrase in which an adjective modifies the noun. It’s that descriptive past that makes me feel guilty, and I know I am not the only procrastinator. We’ve all put off doing something that needed to be done. It’s usually housecleaning and laundry for me.
Now pastime is, at last, something we enjoy doing. For some it’s golfing, others like hunting, reading, sleeping, watching movies, playing games…I feel quite lucky that I have a friend who loves to cook. Ah, yes, I’m counting my blessings *grin*
I recommend exploring “Pass vs Passed vs Past” as too many writers get confused with all three words.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Pass (the) Time | Past Time | Pastime |
|---|---|---|
Passing the Time is under the Pixabay License, via Pixabay. — I understand using my phone to pass time… |
Procrastination by Rachel Fisher is under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, via Flickr. — Yep, procrastinating usually means it’s past time something got done. |
Winter Pastime on the Scheldt in Antwerp, 1622, is an oil on panel by Sebastiaan Vrancx and is under the CC0 1.0 license, via the Rijksmuseum and courtesy of Look and Learn.com. |
| Part of Grammar: | ||
| Idiom (Verb + Noun)
Plural for the noun: pass time Third person present verb: passes time |
Noun phrase (Adjective + Noun)
Plural for the noun: past time |
Noun
Plural: pastimes Alternative spelling: pass-time, pass-times Obsolete spelling: passtime, passtimes |
| To help time or a period of time go by especially while doing something enjoyable OR that you are not really interested in
[Driving] In road transport, the time that elapses between the moment when the leading vehicle of a column passes a given point and the moment when the last vehicle passes the same point |
Something that should have been done before | An activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment rather than work
|
| Examples: | ||
| I am so bored. Whatever shall we do to pass time?
When we were trapped in the elevator, we told stories to pass time. Janie plays games on her cellphone to pass time when she’s waiting in line. The kids never worry about how to pass time. Keep the pass time between mileage markers to one minute. |
It is long past time that you finished that project.
Congress was past time to approve those stimulus checks. It’s past time that our resident bully was turned in. Considering how many weeks it’s been, it is way past time we ordered in a pizza. In a past time, you could buy a loaf of bread for a nickel. |
His favorite pastimes were shooting and golf.
Reading and the computer are my favorite pastimes. Several of Mary’s friends play cards as a pastime. Mary, on the other hand, finds making lists to be a fun pastime. Baseball has been a national pastime for many years. |
| History of the Word: | ||
| Unknown. | Usage dates from the late 1800s. | Late 15th century from the Middle English verb pass, which is the Old French passer, based on the Latin passus meaning pace + time, translating the French passe-temps. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Pass Time vs Past Time vs Pastime
Apple Dictionary.com
The Free Dictionary: pass time
Macmillan Dictionary: pass the time
Merriam-Webster: pass the time
“Pass Time vs. Past Time vs. Pastime: What’s the Difference?” Writing Explained. n.d. Web. 9 May 2021. <https://writingexplained.org/pass-time-vs-past-time-vs-pastime>.
Wasko, Brian. “‘Past’ or ‘Passed’? ‘Pastime’ or ‘Pass Time’.” Write at Home.com. 5 Nov 2013. Web. 9 May 2021. <http://blog.writeathome.com/index.php/2013/11/past-or-passed-pastime-or-pass-time/>.
Wordsense: pass-time
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Diving Underwater by 12019 is under the Pixabay License, via Pixabay.
