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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Passage hawk

Passage \Pas"sage\, n. [F. passage. See Pass, v. i.]

  1. The act of passing; transit from one place to another; movement from point to point; a going by, over, across, or through; as, the passage of a man or a carriage; the passage of a ship or a bird; the passage of light; the passage of fluids through the pores or channels of the body.

    What! are my doors opposed against my passage!
    --Shak.

  2. Transit by means of conveyance; journey, as by water, carriage, car, or the like; travel; right, liberty, or means, of passing; conveyance.

    The ship in which he had taken passage.
    --Macaulay.

  3. Price paid for the liberty to pass; fare; as, to pay one's passage.

  4. Removal from life; decease; departure; death. [R.] ``Endure thy mortal passage.''
    --Milton.

    When he is fit and season'd for his passage.
    --Shak.

  5. Way; road; path; channel or course through or by which one passes; way of exit or entrance; way of access or transit. Hence, a common avenue to various apartments in a building; a hall; a corridor.

    And with his pointed dart Explores the nearest passage to his heart.
    --Dryden.

    The Persian army had advanced into the . . . passages of Cilicia.
    --South.

  6. A continuous course, process, or progress; a connected or continuous series; as, the passage of time.

    The conduct and passage of affairs.
    --Sir J. Davies.

    The passage and whole carriage of this action.
    --Shak.

  7. A separate part of a course, process, or series; an occurrence; an incident; an act or deed. ``In thy passages of life.''
    --Shak.

    The . . . almost incredible passage of their unbelief.
    --South.

  8. A particular portion constituting a part of something continuous; esp., a portion of a book, speech, or musical composition; a paragraph; a clause.

    How commentators each dark passage shun.
    --Young.

  9. Reception; currency. [Obs.]
    --Sir K. Digby.

  10. A pass or en encounter; as, a passage at arms.

    No passages of love Betwixt us twain henceforward evermore.
    --Tennyson.

  11. A movement or an evacuation of the bowels.

  12. In parliamentary proceedings:

    1. The course of a proposition (bill, resolution, etc.) through the several stages of consideration and action; as, during its passage through Congress the bill was amended in both Houses.

    2. The advancement of a bill or other proposition from one stage to another by an affirmative vote; esp., the final affirmative action of the body upon a proposition; hence, adoption; enactment; as, the passage of the bill to its third reading was delayed. ``The passage of the Stamp Act.''
      --D. Hosack.

      The final question was then put upon its passage.
      --Cushing.

      In passage, in passing; cursorily. ``These . . . have been studied but in passage.''
      --Bacon.

      Middle passage, Northeast passage, Northwest passage. See under Middle, Northeast, etc.

      Of passage, passing from one place, region, or climate, to another; migratory; -- said especially of birds. ``Birds of passage.''
      --Longfellow.

      Passage hawk, a hawk taken on its passage or migration.

      Passage money, money paid for conveyance of a passenger, -- usually for carrying passengers by water.

      Syn: Vestibule; hall; corridor. See Vestibule.