en passant

English

WOTD – 3 May 2018

Etymology

An en passant move in chess. When the white pawn moves from its starting position at square a2 to a4 (first diagram), the black pawn at b4 is able to capture the white pawn en passant – as it passes through a3 (second and third diagrams).

Borrowing from French en passant.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɒn paˈsɒ̃/
• Hyphenation: en pas‧sant

Adverb

en passant (not comparable)

1. In passing, by the way, incidentally.
2. (chess) Of a player's pawn when it has moved forward two squares on its first move in the game: captured "in passing" by the other player's pawn, as if the first player's pawn had only moved forward one square.
   • 2007, Mark A. Borders, “The Rules”, in The Self-Improvement of Chess: Why the Game's Basics Apply to Daily Living, [Raleigh, N.C.]: Lulu, ISBN 978-1-4303-2764-6, page 12:

     [I]f the opponent chooses to make this capture, he must do it immediately on his next move – if he makes any other move on his next move, he forever loses the chance to capture that pawn en passant, though he still retains the right to capture another pawn en passant should a similar situation arise elsewhere.

Noun

en passant (plural en passants)

1. (chess) A move in which a pawn captures an opposing pawn on the same rank immediately after the latter has moved forward two squares on its first move in the game, as if it had moved forward only one square.
   • 1998 December 11, Glenn Kaplan, “Chess: not just for losers, but also Trekkies”, in The Oberlin Review^[1], volume 127, number 12, Oberlin, Oh.: The Union Library Association, ISSN 0029-7526, OCLC 4123706, archived from the original on 22 January 2017:

     Spectators are privy to awe inspiring castles, baffling forks, and breathtaking en passants.

   • 2007, Mark A. Borders, “The Rules”, in The Self-Improvement of Chess: Why the Game's Basics Apply to Daily Living, [Raleigh, N.C.]: Lulu, ISBN 978-1-4303-2764-6, page 12:

     En passant is the rarest of moves. It is a French phrase that means "in passing." This occurs when one player moves a pawn two spaces forward, on its first move, to try to avoid a capture by an opponent pawn. When this happens, the opponent may move his pawn diagonally to the square that the first player passed over (i.e., as if he only moved one space forward). The pawn from the first player is then considered captured and removed from the board.

   • 2012 March 17, Ben Watanabe, “New Mexico Point Guard Kendall Williams Puts Chess Match on Hold During Tournament”, in New England Sports Network^[2], archived from the original on 5 March 2016:

     Before he returns to performing some castles and en passants, [Kendall] Williams has to determine his endgame in the tourney.

   • 2012 May 31, Greg Amos, “Trumpeter Classic chess tournament begins today”, in Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune^[3], Grande Prairie, Alta.: Sun Media, ISSN 0839-4873, OCLC 462093897:

     Grande Prairie's Sandman Hotel will be the scene of some castling, en passants and checkmate action this weekend when the 29th Trumpeter Classic Chess Tournament gets underway.

Translations

chess move

• Czech: braní mimochodem n, en passant
• French: en passant (fr)
• German: Schlagen im Vorübergehen n
• Icelandic: framhjáhlaup n

• Polish: w przelocie
• Russian: взя́тие на прохо́де n (vzjátije na proxóde), анпасса́н m (anpassán), энпасса́н m (enpassán)
• Spanish: al paso

Further reading

• en passant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

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Czech

Etymology

From French en passant (“in passing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aːn pasaːn/

Phrase

en passant

1. (chess) en passant

Synonyms

• (chess move): braní mimochodem

Further reading

• en passant in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu

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Danish

Etymology

From French en passant (“in passing”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /anɡpasanɡ/, [ɑŋpʰaˈsɑŋ]

Adverb

en passant

1. en passant
2. (chess) en passant

Synonyms

• (in passing): i forbifarten

See also

• en passant on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^da

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃ pa.sɑ̃/

Adverb

en passant

1. in passing; incidentally, by the way
2. (chess) en passant