pass (something) down
idiom
: to give (something) to a younger person especially within the same family
She will pass her diamond ring down to her niece.
It's a family recipe passed down from my great-grandmother.
Examples of pass (something) down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the second quarter, while rolling right and being chased, Ward connected with Restrepo on a long pass down the right sideline.
—
Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
Some have speculated that the changes could affect credit card rewards, or perhaps allow merchants to pass down savings to customers.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
Frans de Waal, who used his study of the inner lives of animals to build a powerful case that apes think, feel, strategize, pass down culture and act on moral sentiments — and that humans are not quite as special as many of us like to think — died on Thursday at his home in Stone Mountain, Ga.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
That’s obviously one way people pass down generational wealth, and Black people don’t have a lot of ways to do that.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
Quarterback Kingston Tisdell avoided the rush, stepped forward and launched a pass down the middle of the field.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Scrutinizing her own love for Shakespeare, Sayet considers the role the Bard’s work played in the assimilation education that valued his prose and verse over the language Mohegans used to pass down their own cherished traditions.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
With distrust of local governments, which had been charged with regulating property ownership in Southern states hostile to Black equality, and legal systems that had shut out Black families, many took informal routes to pass down ownership.
—Patrice Gaines, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024
In one of the most famous moments in NFL history, Giants quarterback Eli Manning memorably escaped the grasp of the Patriots defense and completed a long pass down the field to wide receiver David Tyree.
—Chandelis Duster, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024
Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2024
Some have speculated that the changes could affect credit card rewards, or perhaps allow merchants to pass down savings to customers.
—Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
Frans de Waal, who used his study of the inner lives of animals to build a powerful case that apes think, feel, strategize, pass down culture and act on moral sentiments — and that humans are not quite as special as many of us like to think — died on Thursday at his home in Stone Mountain, Ga.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
That’s obviously one way people pass down generational wealth, and Black people don’t have a lot of ways to do that.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
Quarterback Kingston Tisdell avoided the rush, stepped forward and launched a pass down the middle of the field.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Scrutinizing her own love for Shakespeare, Sayet considers the role the Bard’s work played in the assimilation education that valued his prose and verse over the language Mohegans used to pass down their own cherished traditions.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
With distrust of local governments, which had been charged with regulating property ownership in Southern states hostile to Black equality, and legal systems that had shut out Black families, many took informal routes to pass down ownership.
—Patrice Gaines, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024
In one of the most famous moments in NFL history, Giants quarterback Eli Manning memorably escaped the grasp of the Patriots defense and completed a long pass down the field to wide receiver David Tyree.
—Chandelis Duster, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pass (something) down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pass (something) down
pass (someone or something) off as
pass (something) down
Cite this Entry
“Pass (something) down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pass%20%28something%29%20down. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share