n. [ F. passage. See Pass, v. i. ] 1. The act of passing; transit from one place to another; movement from point to point; a going by, over, across, or through; as, the passage of a man or a carriage; the passage of a ship or a bird; the passage of light; the passage of fluids through the pores or channels of the body. [ 1913 Webster ] What! are my doors opposed against my passage! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Transit by means of conveyance; journey, as by water, carriage, car, or the like; travel; right, liberty, or means, of passing; conveyance. [ 1913 Webster ] The ship in which he had taken passage. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Price paid for the liberty to pass; fare; as, to pay one's passage. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Removal from life; decease; departure; death. [ R. ] “Endure thy mortal passage.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] When he is fit and season'd for his passage. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Way; road; path; channel or course through or by which one passes; way of exit or entrance; way of access or transit. Hence, a common avenue to various apartments in a building; a hall; a corridor. [ 1913 Webster ] And with his pointed dart
Explores the nearest passage to his heart. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] The Persian army had advanced into the . . . passages of Cilicia. South. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. A continuous course, process, or progress; a connected or continuous series; as, the passage of time. [ 1913 Webster ] The conduct and passage of affairs. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ] The passage and whole carriage of this action. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. A separate part of a course, process, or series; an occurrence; an incident; an act or deed. “In thy passages of life.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] The . . . almost incredible passage of their unbelief. South. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. A particular portion constituting a part of something continuous; esp., a portion of a book, speech, or musical composition; a paragraph; a clause. [ 1913 Webster ] How commentators each dark passage shun. Young. [ 1913 Webster ] 9. Reception; currency. [ Obs. ] Sir K. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ] 10. A pass or en encounter; as, a passage at arms. [ 1913 Webster ] No passages of love
Betwixt us twain henceforward evermore. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ] 11. A movement or an evacuation of the bowels. [ 1913 Webster ] 12. In parliamentary proceedings: (a) The course of a proposition (bill, resolution, etc.) through the several stages of consideration and action; as, during its passage through Congress the bill was amended in both Houses. (b) The advancement of a bill or other proposition from one stage to another by an affirmative vote; esp., the final affirmative action of the body upon a proposition; hence, adoption; enactment; as, the passage of the bill to its third reading was delayed. “The passage of the Stamp Act.” D. Hosack. [ 1913 Webster ] The final question was then put upon its passage. Cushing. [ 1913 Webster ]
In passage, in passing; cursorily. “These . . . have been studied but in passage.” Bacon. --
Middle passage,
Northeast passage,
Northwest passage. See under Middle, Northeast, etc. --
Of passage, passing from one place, region, or climate, to another; migratory; -- said especially of birds. “Birds of passage.” Longfellow. --
Passage hawk, a hawk taken on its passage or migration. --
Passage money, money paid for conveyance of a passenger, -- usually for carrying passengers by water. [ 1913 Webster ]
Syn. -- Vestibule; hall; corridor. See Vestibule. [ 1913 Webster ] | 
