Definition of the word pass by

The origin of the word "pass by" can be traced back to Old English, during the Anglo-Saxon period. The Old English phrase that roughly translates to "pass by" is "perecan" or "perecan�dan", where "per" means "through" or "around", "ececan" means "to go", and "-an" or "-anýdan" is a suffix indicating the continuous or future tense. Therefore, "perecan" or "perecanýdan" literally meant "to go through" or "to go around". Over time, the pronunciation and spelling of this phrase evolved. In Middle English, which emerged after the Norman Conquest, the spelling "passen" was used, retaining the "p" sound from the Old English word "per". During this time, the meaning of "passen" also expanded to include the idea of moving beyond a certain point or overcoming an obstacle. By the Early Modern English period, around the 16th century, the spelling had further evolved to "passen by", with "by" added to indicate proximity or nearness. Today, in Modern English, the phrase "pass by" is commonly used to mean "to move past or through a location without stopping". In conclusion, the origin of the word "pass by" can be traced back to Old English roots, undergoing phonetic and orthographic changes over time to reach its current meaning in Modern English.