Pass out means to faint, to lose consciousness for a short time. It usually describes a brief blackout caused by heat, hunger, pain or a shock. A second meaning, more common in American English, is to hand something out to a group of people: pass out the worksheets.
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pass out (from + heat/hunger/pain); nearly/almost pass out; pass out + papers/leaflets (= hand out)
- It was so hot at the concert that two people near the stage passed out.
- I nearly passed out when the nurse showed me the size of the needle.
- The teacher passed out the test papers and told us we had forty minutes.
What changed
First versionIt was so hot on the underground that a woman passed away, but a doctor helped her and she was soon fine.
RevisionIt was so hot on the underground that a woman passed out, but a doctor helped her and she was soon fine.
Pass away is a polite way of saying 'die'. The two verbs differ only in the particle, and the mistake changes the meaning completely: in the original sentence, the woman died and then felt better. What actually happened is that she fainted in the heat, so she passed out.
In a medical report or a formal letter, lose consciousness is more appropriate: The patient lost consciousness for about a minute. Faint also means to lose consciousness, but usually from heat, weakness or fear. Pass out is broader: people also use it for losing consciousness after a blow to the head.
Your turn
He hadn't eaten all day, and when he stood up too quickly, he ___ for a few seconds.
Show the answer
passed out — He hadn't eaten all day, stood up too quickly and blacked out for a few seconds. That's a brief loss of consciousness: passed out. Passed away means 'died', and nobody dies for a few seconds.
Describe a time someone felt unwell because of heat, hunger or pain. Say where it happened and what helped them come round.
On a crowded bus last July, an elderly man passed out from the heat, and we gave him water until he came round.
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