Definition of the word pass away

The phrase "pass away" is used to describe the act of dying or ceasing to exist. The expression's origins can be traced back to the Middle English language of the 14th century, where it was called "passen wey" or "passen werde." As the English language evolved over the centuries, the phrase's meaning and grammar changed as well. The "wey" in "passen wey" transformed into "way" in later years, and the expression became more commonly used in the present continuous tense as "passing away." The expression gained popularity in the 16th century after the King James Bible was published. The Bible used the phrase "pass away" in John 14:2, where Jesus said, "My father is greater than I. And ye shall see the Son of man sit down with the Father, and the places [shall] be changed. Rabbi and saint became, and shall be, three things; first, a man; secondly, a saint; thirdly, dust." From then on, "pass away" became a widely used euphemism for death, likely due to its gentle connotation of ending a journey or passing through a threshold. Today, it is still commonly used in everyday speech, as well as in religious or formal contexts.