A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

pas de deux • two-step
pas de deux —(Fr.) a dance in ballet: They were wonderful,
their pas de deux to the adagio a beautiful example of the Bal-
anchine style.
two-step —an American ballroom dance developed in the
1
880s: The two-step gradually came to replace the waltz as
the preferred social dance of the time.
pass away • pass off • pass out
pass away —
1
. cease to exist; disappear: When he laid his
hands on me my headache and chest pains passed away. 2.
(euph.) die: I’m sorry to hear that your dear uncle passed away
last week.
pass off —
1
. = pass away 
1
: These pains [in Caisson disease]
pass off in a few hours. 2. succeed; turn out: The performance
passed off without a hitch, the tent being crowded almost to
its capacity.
pass out—
1
. lose consciousness: Fancy that being a real bur-
glar last night. I’d have passed out if I’d known. 2. successfully
complete a course of training : How many of the students
passed out this year? 3. = pass away 2: First, write the name
of the dead relative or friend, then when they passed out.
– 263 –
pass away

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pass one’s word • pass the word
pass one’s word —(also: pass one’s word of honor) give a pledge
or promise: Half the sum was raised and Dundee is said to
have passed his word for the remainder.
pass the word —(also: pass word) give an oral order or instruc-
tion: Rafferty would pass word to certain stool pigeons to keep
their eyes and ears open for trace of the missing canvas.
Note: 
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
send word
— send a personal written message: The deputy mar-
shal would send word to the prosecuting attorney asking for
an “OK.”