adj (1)过去的，从前的 (ended，finished at a time before now)[作attrib]：the～years/experience/history 过去的年月/经历/历史;For some time～I have known that. 前些时候我已经知道那件事了。His prime is～.他青春已逝。〖同〗ended，finished，gone，elapsed;〖反〗future，present，now;

(2)刚过去(完成，结束)的 (of a period of time immediately before now)[作attrib]：for some time～在过去的一段时间;during the～week/month/year 在上周/上个月/去年;She's been in the lab for the～few hours/days. 她近几个小时/几天来一直在实验室。

(3)先前的，以往的，昔日的 (relating to an earlier time;having formerly been or served as)[作attrib]：one's～life/success 某人从前的生活/成功;a～vice president 前任副总统;～happiness/students/governments/generations昔日的快乐/从前的学生/往届政府/历代;

(4)(动词)过去式的 ((of verb tenses) showing actions or states completed before now)[作attrib](gram)：～tenses/participles 过去时/分词;

past master(in/of/at) 能(老)手，专家：That is the speciality at which he is a～master. 那正是他内行的专业。

n (1)过去的生活或职业经历(尤指不名誉的) (a person's earlier life or career，esp if secret or not respectable)[C]：He came to London to start a new life，and never spoke about his～. 他来到伦敦开始一种新的生活，从来不言及他的过去。She's a woman with a～. 她早年生活放荡。

(2)往时，昔日，过去 (time before now)[U，the～]：During/In the～most people lived on farms.过去绝大多数人以种田为生。Cavemen lived in the romote～. 穴居人生活在遥远的过去。We can learn a great deal from the writers of the～. 我们可以从过去的作家那里学到很多东西。

(3)往事(what has existed or has happened at some earlier time)[U，the～]：change/regret/remember the～改变/懊悔/想起过去;Memories of the～filled my mind. 我的脑海里充满了对往昔的回忆。

(4)(国家的)历史 (history of a country)[U，a～]：a country with a glorious～有光荣历史的国家。

(5)(动词形式的)过去式 (the past tense)[U，the～](=past tense)： a verb in the～过去式的动词; the～of the verb 动词的过去式