Green’s Dictionary of Slang

pass n.

In phrases

give a pass (v.)

to reject, to ignore; to allow evasion.

[US](con. 1969) M. Herr Dispatches 46: So he gives the John Wayne information a pass and he and half his command get wiped out.
[US]R. Campbell In La-La Land We Trust (1999) 101: You mean like getting the cops to give me a pass?
[US]Lehr & O’Neill Black Mass 39: [T]he state police had believed that Connor was guilty of the murders but had given him a pass anyway .
make a pass (v.) (also throw a pass) [note Asbury, Sucker’s Progress (1938) 16: An extraordinary number of the terms, technical and otherwise, which were employed by Faro players [...] have passed into the language [...] Making a pass—Putting the two parts of a pack of cards back as they were before the cut] (orig. US)

1. to attempt to harm or attack.

[US]L.W. Payne Jr ‘Word-List From East Alabama’ in DN III:v 348: make a pass at, v. To attempt, attempt to strike.
[US]F. Willard ‘Moon Mullins’ [comic strip] You low little *!?*!!! You will make a pass at me will you? You — —.
[US]D. Lamson We Who Are About to Die 187: ‘Why, you lyin’ so-an’-so,’ he says [...] An’ he makes a pass at me.
[US]I. Shulman Amboy Dukes 57: If you make a pass at me I’m going to slug you.
[US]G.V. Higgins Digger’s Game (1981) 20: You never made a pass at me.

2. to approach with amorous intentions.

[UK]T. Whittell ‘The Indifferent Lovers’s Wedding’ Poetical Works 109: A little, finical, foppish blade / At her heart was pushing and making passes.
[US]D. Parker ‘You Were Perfectly Fine’ in Parker (1943) 183: Was I making a pass at Elinor?
[US]D. Runyon ‘Lonely Heart’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 483: Finally he makes a pass at one of the nurses.
[US]I. Shulman Cry Tough! 139: Do I make passes at you?
[UK]J. Osborne World of Paul Slickey Act II: And before I make a pass / I’ll tell her that the sun shines out of her face.
[UK]G. Lambert Inside Daisy Clover (1966) 64: This actor made a terrific pass at me.
[US]E. Bunker Animal Factory 124: Every assistant has been young and smooth, but he never makes a pass.
[Aus]Benjamin & Pearl Limericks Down Under 68: A lecher in old Dirranbandi / Made a pass at any girl handy.
[UK]R. Dahl Rhyme Stew (1990) 13: These females from the upper-classes / Spend their lives in making passes.
[UK]J. Poller Reach 2: I sensed that Anthony would get on with my father [...] until, that is, apoplectic on pink gin, he made a pass at me.

3. to approach, to go near.

[US]I. Bolton Do I Wake or Sleep in N.Y. Mosaic (1999) 4: He was making a pass at her hand.
[US] in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 206: He laid her down upon the grass, / Lifted her dress above her ass; / He grabbed his prick and made a pass / At the fuck-hole of Kathusalem.
[US]C. McFadden Serial 104: Watch your wine [...] he’s just made a pass at it.