passen German · revision 35955

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century, Lower Rhine|origins=la passus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpasən/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Austria, southern Germany: [ˈb̥asn̩]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''passen''' (third-person singular present passt, past tense passte, past participle gepasst, auxiliary haben)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|passen|t=to reach one's goal]], [[bor|dum|passen]], [[bor|fro|passer|t=to go from one place to another, cross, pass]]: the verb reached the Lower Rhine through Dutch in the 13th century, where Middle High German also had the prefixed [[m|gmh|gepassen]].^(Kluge 2011|687)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2014|620)^(Köbler MHD) The French verb comes from [[la-vul|*passō]], from [[la|passus|t=step, pace]], and is also the source of [[passieren]].^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|687) The same borrowing is [[nl|passen]], [[sv|passa]] and [[no|passe]].^(Kluge 2011|687)

+

+ From “to reach” Kluge derives the German sense “to sit well, be fitting”, while a second line of meaning, “to turn one's attention to”, already found in Middle Low German and Middle Dutch, leads to [[aufpassen]] and [[verpassen]] “to miss”.^(Kluge 2011|687) The sense “to let a turn go by” in card games is late, from the 17th century.^(Kluge 2011|687)^(Pfeifer 1993) In football the verb “to pass the ball” is a 20th-century borrowing of [[en|pass]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Lexer and Köbler record Middle High German ''passen'' and ''gepassen'' “to reach one's goal” in the Karlmeinet, a Lower Rhenish compilation of about 1320–1340.^(Lexer 1872|2, 211)^(Köbler MHD) Pfeifer cites Lower Rhenish ''passen'' “to arrive, reach the goal” and, in 1477, “to coincide, agree, be fitting”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to pay attention” appears in the 15th century, the transitive “to make fit, fit in exactly” at the end of the 16th, and “to be suitable, fit in size” in the 17th.^(Pfeifer 1993) Paul dates ''das Kleid passt mir'' “the dress fits me” to about 1700 and notes reflexive uses such as ''das passt sich nicht'' “that is not proper”, found in Lessing and Goethe.^(Paul 2002) The older ''auf etwas passen'' “to watch for something” of the 16th century gave [[aufpassen]] in the 17th, and the sense of watching led on to “to wait”, as in Goethe's ''ich paßte schon an der Treppe'' “I was already waiting on the stairs”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ At dice and cards ''passen'' meant from the 17th century to let a turn go by without playing;^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|13, 1484) Stieler records ''er passet'' “he does not dare the throw”.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|13, 1484) From this came “to wait and see” in the 17th century and “to give up, not keep up” at the end of the 18th.^(Pfeifer 1993) Hungarian borrowed the verb as [[hu|passzol]], recorded in 1605, and took ''passz'' “pass of the ball” in 1848.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – ''(ge)passen'' “to reach” appears on the Lower Rhine.^(Kluge 2011|687)

+ * c. 1320–1340 – ''passen'' is recorded in the Karlmeinet.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 15th century – First record of the sense “to pay attention”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1477 – First record of the sense “to agree, be fitting”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 16th century – The transitive sense “to make fit” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1605 – Hungarian ''passzol'' is recorded.^(LWP)

+ * 17th century – The senses “to be suitable” and “to pass” at dice and cards; first record of ''aufpassen'' and ''verpassen''.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * Late 18th century – First record of the sense “to give up”.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 20th century – The football sense “to pass the ball” is borrowed from English.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of clothing, to [[m|en|fit]] someone in size and cut: ''Die Jacke passt mir wie angegossen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|suit]], go well with, be right for someone or something: ''Der Schal passt gut zu deinem Mantel.'' ''Die beiden passen gut zueinander.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To have the right size or shape to go into or onto something: ''Der Schrank passt nicht durch die Tür.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To be convenient or agreeable to someone: ''Passt dir Freitag um zehn?'' ''Sein Ton passt mir nicht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(reflexive, colloquial)'' To be proper: ''Das passt sich nicht.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # To match a description: ''Die Beschreibung passt auf den Verdächtigen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(regional)'' To watch out; to wait eagerly for someone or something.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(card games, especially skat)'' To [[m|en|pass]], to stop bidding.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' To have to give up, not know the answer: ''Bei dieser Frage muss ich passen.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # ''(ball games)'' To pass the ball to a teammate: ''Er passte den Ball nach links.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[anpassen]]

+ * [[aufpassen]]

+ * [[verpassen]]

+ * [[abpassen]]

+ * [[zusammenpassen]]

+ * [[unpässlich]]

+ * [[passabel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[passieren]]

+ * [[Pass]]

+ * [[fr|passer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}