passing

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pass|ing /p'ɑːsɪŋ, p'æs-/
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
A passing fashion, activity, or feeling lasts for only a short period of time and is not worth taking very seriously.
Hamnett does not believe environmental concern is a passing fad...
≠ lasting
2 [N-SING] with poss
The passing of something such as a time or system is the fact of its coming to an end.
It was an historic day, yet its passing was not marked by the slightest excitement...
3 [N-SING] with poss
You can refer to someone's death as their passing, if you want to avoid using the word `death' because you think it might upset or offend people.
His passing will be mourned by many people.
4 [N-SING] the N of n
The passing of a period of time is the fact or process of its going by.
The passing of time brought a sense of emptiness...
= passage
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
A passing mention or reference is brief and is made while you are talking or writing about something else.
It was just a passing comment, he didn't go on about it...
= casual
6
see also pass
7 [PHRASE] PHR with cl, PHR after v
If you mention something in passing, you mention it briefly while you are talking or writing about something else.
The army is only mentioned in passing.
= incidentally

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