What is "of passage"

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.