Repast vs Repass Quiz: Test Yourself
Five quick questions on repast vs repass. Pick an answer to get instant feedback.
Flip Cards: Quick Review
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A meal, or the food eaten at one.
“They shared a light repast of bread and cheese.”
To pass again, especially back the way you came.
“The hikers had to repass the bridge.”
To adopt or approve again.
“The council voted to repass the resolution.”
To take food or feast (literary, old-fashioned).
“They repasted on roast pheasant.”
Repast vs repass trips people up because the two words differ by a single letter and sound close in speech. One names a meal, and the other names a movement. Once you tie each to its meaning, the choice becomes easy.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repast | A meal, or the food eaten at one | Noun (formal or literary) | The innkeeper served a simple repast. |
| Repast | To eat or feast | Verb (archaic or literary) | They repasted on bread and honey. |
| Repass | To pass again, especially in the opposite direction | Verb | We repass the old mill every morning. |
| Repass | To adopt again, as a law or resolution | Verb (politics and government) | The senate voted to repass the bill. |
What Does Repast Mean?
Repast means a meal, or the food served and eaten at one sitting. It is a formal or old-fashioned word, so you will mostly meet it in books, menus, and polished writing rather than in everyday chat.
A repast can be grand or humble. A light repast might be soup and bread, while a sumptuous repast might be a banquet. The word carries a slightly literary tone, which is why writers use it when “meal” feels too plain.
In some communities, a repast is also the meal or gathering held after a funeral, where family and friends come together to eat.
Is Repast Also a Verb?
Yes, repast can be a verb, though it is old-fashioned and rare. It means to take food or to feast, and it is often followed by on or upon, as in repast on roast chicken. It once also meant to feed someone else, but that use is obsolete.
You are very unlikely to need the verb in modern writing. If you are talking about passing something again, you want repass, not repast.
What Does Repass Mean?
Repass is a verb that means to pass again, especially in the opposite direction. If you walk over a bridge and then walk back across it, you repass the bridge. The prefix re- simply means again, and pass is the base word.
It can describe going by or over something a second time, or causing something to pass again. You might see it in older or more formal writing, such as people who pass and repass each other on a promenade.
In government and politics, repass also means to adopt again, such as a legislature approving a law or resolution a second time.
Is Repass a Real Word?
Yes, repass is a real word, and major dictionaries list it as a verb. It is uncommon, which is why it can look like a typo for repast. The two words are not interchangeable, so a spell checker will not always catch the mistake.
Repast vs Repass: Which One Should You Use?
Use repast when you mean a meal, and use repass when you mean to pass again. A simple test is to ask whether you can eat it or whether it describes an action. Here is how it breaks down:
- Talking about food, dinner, or a gathering where people eat? Use repast.
- Talking about going back over a bridge, road, or river? Use repass.
- Talking about approving a law or resolution again? Use repass.
- Writing in a literary style and want a fancier word for a meal? Use repast.
How Can You Remember Which One to Use?
Link repast to food and repass to movement. The memory tricks below give you a fast way to check yourself.
Common Mistakes With Repast and Repass
- ✗ We shared a lovely repass after the ceremony.
✓ We shared a lovely repast after the ceremony. - ✗ The runners had to repast the finish line twice.
✓ The runners had to repass the finish line twice. - ✗ Lawmakers voted to repast the bill.
✓ Lawmakers voted to repass the bill. - ✗ The hosts served a light repass of soup and bread.
✓ The hosts served a light repast of soup and bread. - ✗ Please join us for the repass after the funeral.
✓ Please join us for the repast after the funeral.
Memory Tricks for Repast vs Repass
- Repast ends in T for table. A repast is something served at a table.
- Repass contains pass. Re plus pass means pass again, so think of going back past the same spot.
- Repast rhymes with breakfast. Both end in -ast, and both are meals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is repast the same as repass?
No. Repast is a meal, while repass is a verb meaning to pass again. They look similar but have different meanings.
Is repast a verb?
Yes, but the verb is old-fashioned and rare. It means to eat or feast, and it is usually followed by on or upon.
Is repass a real word?
Yes. Repass is a standard dictionary verb meaning to pass again, especially back the way you came, or to adopt something such as a law again.
What does repast mean after a funeral?
In some communities, a repast is the meal or gathering held after a funeral, where family and friends eat together.
How do you pronounce repast and repass?
Repast is usually said ri-PAST, though some people say REE-past. Repass is said ree-PASS.
Conclusion
The repast vs repass choice comes down to food versus movement: a repast is a meal, and to repass is to pass again. Use repast for dinners, feasts, and funeral gatherings, and use repass for crossing a place again or approving a law a second time. Share this with someone who mixes these up.