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Past for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: pæst

What does Past really mean?

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Past is a simple word that we use quite often in our everyday conversations. So what does it actually mean? Well, let me try to explain it in a way that is easy for you to understand.

Have you ever looked at an old photograph and wondered about the people or places in it? Have you ever thought about things that happened a long time ago? That's what the word "past" refers to. It's all about things that have already happened, things that are behind us, and things that are not happening right now.

Imagine you have a timeline in front of you. On this timeline, you can see different points in time - like dots or markers. The present moment, the here and now, is the dot where you are standing right now. The past is everything that came before this dot. It's like all the dots that are behind you on the timeline.

Let me give you an example to help you picture it better. Remember when we talked about ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians or the Romans? Those amazing civilizations existed a long time ago. They are part of our past, something that happened before our time. When we read about them in books or learn about them in school, we are learning about things that happened in the past.

Now, the word "past" can also have another meaning. It can refer to a time that is no longer happening, but is very recent. For example, if I say, "I saw Mr. Johnson yesterday," then "yesterday" is in the past. It's something that already happened, but it's not as long ago as the Egyptians or the Romans.

So you see, when we talk about the past, we are referring to things, events, or moments that have already occurred and are not happening anymore. It's like looking through a window into the past, where we can learn about history, understand how things were before, and appreciate how they have shaped our present.

To sum it all up, the word "past" means things that have already happened, things that are not happening right now. It can refer to events from a long time ago, like ancient civilizations, or something that happened just a little while ago, like yesterday. By understanding the past, we can better understand our world, our history, and how things have changed over time.


Revised and Fact checked by Jack Taylor on 2023-10-29 19:33:55

Past In a sentece

Learn how to use Past inside a sentece

  • Yesterday, I played soccer with my friends in the past.
  • My grandma used to tell me stories about her past when she was a little girl.
  • Last year, we went on a fun vacation to the beach. That was in the past.
  • Before you were born, your parents went to school. That was in the past.
  • I used to have a pet dog, but it passed away in the past.

Past Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

by past tense past times preceding retiring yesteryear

Past Antonyms

Words that have the opposite context of the original word.

future future present

Past Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

period period of time tense time time period

Past Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.

auld langsyne bygone good old days history langsyne old old times preterit preterite time immemorial time out of mind water under the bridge yesterday yore

Past Holonyms

The larger whole to which this word belongs.

life

Past Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.

ago agone ancient bygone bypast chivalric departed early erstwhile foregone former gone historic historical knightly last late medieval old olden onetime other outgoing prehistoric prehistorical previous quondam recent sometime then ult ultimo