Northwest 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. [1913 Webster]

What! are my doors opposed against my passage! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Transit by means of conveyance; journey, as by water, carriage, car, or the like; travel; right, liberty, or means, of passing; conveyance. [1913 Webster]

The ship in which he had taken passage. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

3. Price paid for the liberty to pass; fare; as, to pay one's passage. [1913 Webster]

4. Removal from life; decease; departure; death. [R.] ``Endure thy mortal passage.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

When he is fit and season'd for his passage. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

And with his pointed dart Explores the nearest passage to his heart. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

The Persian army had advanced into the . . . passages of Cilicia. --South. [1913 Webster]

6. A continuous course, process, or progress; a connected or continuous series; as, the passage of time. [1913 Webster]

The conduct and passage of affairs. --Sir J. Davies. [1913 Webster]

The passage and whole carriage of this action. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

7. A separate part of a course, process, or series; an occurrence; an incident; an act or deed. ``In thy passages of life.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The . . . almost incredible passage of their unbelief. --South. [1913 Webster]

8. A particular portion constituting a part of something continuous; esp., a portion of a book, speech, or musical composition; a paragraph; a clause. [1913 Webster]

How commentators each dark passage shun. --Young. [1913 Webster]

9. Reception; currency. [Obs.] --Sir K. Digby. [1913 Webster]

10. A pass or en encounter; as, a passage at arms. [1913 Webster]

No passages of love Betwixt us twain henceforward evermore. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

11. A movement or an evacuation of the bowels. [1913 Webster]

12. In parliamentary proceedings: (a) 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. (b) 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. [1913 Webster]

The final question was then put upon its passage. --Cushing. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Vestibule; hall; corridor. See {Vestibule}. [1913 Webster]