Quick links
apast
DCHP-2 (Mar 2016)
Spelling variants:apass, a-past
1prep. — Newfoundland
of a place: past, beyond; of time: past, after.
Type: 2. Preservation — Apast is a preposition in Newfoundland that is used when referring to something that is past a certain point in time or space. When used in reference to time, the meaning is similar to 'after' or '(passed) by' (see, for example, the 1933 quotation). When used in reference to place, however, apast can indicate going beyond either a physical location (see the 1952 quotation) or a figurative point, i.e. living beyond one's means (see the 1911 quotation). Apast first arose in BrE as an alternate spelling for "apassed", the past tense form of a now-obsolete verb meaning 'to pass on or by (in space or time)' (OED-3, s.v. "apass"). EDD (s.v. "apast") suggests that the term, for which evidence from as early as the 14th century can be found, is derived from Old French, where the verb "apasser" meant 'to pass on'. The term then likely travelled to Newfoundland in the 18th and 19th centuries with English settlers from the southwest counties, from whom a great deal of NLE vocabulary is preserved. Because of the province's geographical and social isolation, many words like apast that may be obsolete in other locations have remained in use on the island (Clarke 2010b: 103).
See also DNE, s.v. "apast".
See also DNE, s.v. "apast".
Note that the 1942 and the 1981 dates are misleading, as the evidence quotes older rhymes and songs.
Quotations
1882
LAUNCH. -- On Friday last, a building owned by Mr. James Hodder, and formerly situated, on his premises on the side of the hill, just apass the bridge was hawled near the water-side, close to the bridge, and when put in proper repair, will make a capital business stand.
1894
Here he (plaintiff) drove and sunk a number of piles in the landwash o'shore extending into the harbor and about five or six feet from the waterside of a main road leading from the mining establishments by and apast this curve.
1911
"Look here," says Tucker, "people in this town are living a-past their means, there's no rubbing out that fact. [...] "
1924
The car then hit the horse somewhere behind and the horse fell and rolled over and then scrambled up and jumped high in the air and limped over to 18th Street. The car just went apast and stopped at Keilly's gate.
1933
As six weeks gone a-past, she was walking down the quay, / When Riley he came back again and stole his love away.
1942
Oft' have I wandered through the woods, / Down by a silver brook, / And on apast the rustic mill / And through a shady nook, / And there amidst the solitude / I pause the while and look.
1952
It was then and not until then, according to his evidence that "I immediately put my car in reverse gear, gave my controller half speed and applied sand to the track." "My car stopped half a car length apast the tail end of Newell's car" (i.e. the parked car) that is a distance of about fourteen feet from the point at which he says he first saw the lights of the truck coming out on his right hand side.
1981
April-fool is gone a-past / You're the biggest fool at last / Up the ladder / Down the tree / You're a bigger fool than me.
References
- OED-3 • "apass"
- Clarke (2010b)
- EDD
- DNE