pas

[ pah ]

noun

, plural pas.

1. a step or series of steps in ballet.
2. right of precedence.

PA's

¹

plural noun

1. mountaineering a type of rock boot

pas

²

/ pɑ; pɑː /

noun

1. a dance step or movement, esp in ballet
2. rare.
   the right to precede; precedence

PAS

³

abbreviation for

1. physician-assisted suicide: a practice in which a terminally-ill person requests a medical practitioner to administer a lethal dose of medication

Word History and Origins

Origin of pas¹

1695–1705; < French < Latin passus. See pace ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pas¹

C20: named after P ierre A llain, French climber

Origin of pas²

C18: French, literally: step

Example Sentences

The aurora faux pas comes just a couple of weeks after the real Northern Lights were once again spotted across the UK, following a similar sight back in May.

From BBC

I boil my tea, albeit briefly, still a faux pas to some.

From Salon

Harris, though, seems equipped to navigate potential food faux pas, because she harbors genuine culinary expertise, and has for years made it part of her public persona.

From Los Angeles Times

These faux pas trigger the T cells to destroy the offenders.

From Science Daily

After a producer greenlights an underbaked movie idea of Lee’s, the brothers attempt to write a passable script, only to dance a pas de doom.

From New York Times