Meaning: alimentary paste

n.
shaped and dried dough made from flour and water and sometimes egg

past Idiom, Proverb

put (something) past someone (negative)

be surprised by what someone does I wouldn

paste up

fasten with paste to a surface用浆糊把…贴在上面
They have pasted up a notice on the wall．他们在墙上贴了一张布告。
The printer pasted up the first chapter to show the author what his book would look like．印刷工把书的第1章粘贴好了，让作者了解他的书会是什么样的。

put out to pasture

Idiom(s): put sb or sth out to pasture

Theme: ENDINGS

to retire someone or something. (Informal. Originally said of a horse that was too old to work.)
• Please don't put me out to pasture. I have lots of good years left.
• This car has reached the end of the line. It's time to put it out to pasture.

past one's or sth's prime

Idiom(s): past one's or sth's prime

Theme: AGE

beyond the most useful or productive period.
• Joan was a wonderful singer, but she's past her prime now.
• This old car's past its prime. I'll need to get a new one.

a past master at

Idiom(s): be a past master at sth

Theme: SKILL

to have been proven extremely good or skillful at an activity.
• Mary is a past master at cooking omeletes.
• Pam is a past master at the art of complaining.

not see past the end of one's nose

Idiom(s): not see farther than the end of one's nose AND not see past the end of one's nose

Theme: PERCEPTION - SELFISH

not to care about what is not actually present or obvious; not to care about the future or about what is happening elsewhere or to other people.
• Mary can't see past the end of her nose. She doesn't care about what will happen in the future as long as she's comfortable now.
• Jack's been accused of not seeing farther than the end of his nose. He refuses to expand the company and look for new markets.

Dwell on the past

Thinking too much about the past, so that it becomes a problem is to dwell on the past.

Pastoral care

This is used in education to describe the aspect of care offered to pupils that cover things besides learning.

Put someone out to pasture

If someone is put out to pasture, they are forced to resign or give up some responsibilities.

Whistling past the graveyard

(USA) If someone is whistling past the graveyard, they are trying to remain cheerful in difficult circumstances. ('Whistling past the cemetery' is also used.)

past master|master|past

n. phr. An expert. Alan wins so often because he is a past master at chess.

past one's peak|past|peak

adj. phr. No longer as strong, efficient, or able as one once was, usually because of advanced age and decreased ability. He used to be a terrific athlete but we're afraid he is past his peak.

shoot ahead of|shoot|shoot alongside of|shoot past

v. phr. To move or drive ahead rapidly. As we had to slow down before the tunnel, a red sports car shot ahead of us.

wouldn't put it past one|past one

v. phr. To think that someone is quite capable or likely to have done something undesirable or illegal. Congressman Alfonso is insisting that he didn't violate congressional ethics, but knowing both his expensive habits and his amorous escapades, many of us wouldn't put it past him that he might have helped himself to funds illegally.

cut and paste

cut and paste
Describing a patched-up job or trivial work. For example, The revision was easy, just cut and paste, or The new assistant had expected some training, but all she got was cut and paste. This term alludes to simple artwork done by small children—cutting out pictures and gluing them to paper. [Mid-1900s]

not put something past someone

not put something past someone
Consider someone capable of doing something, especially something bad. For example, I wouldn't put it past him to tell a lie or two. This expression uses past in the sense of “beyond.” [Late 1800s]

past

past
In addition to the idioms beginning with past, also see live in; not put something past someone.
* * *
- past master
- past one's prime

past master

past master
A person who is thoroughly experienced or exceptionally skilled in some activity or craft. For example, We're lucky to get Ella, because she's a past master at fundraising. This expression probably alludes to the original literal meaning, that is, one who formerly held the post of master in a lodge or other organization. Although past mistress was used for an exceptionally skilled woman in the mid-1800s, it is heard less often today, master serving for both sexes. [Mid-1800s]

past one's prime

past one's prime
Beyond the peak of one's powers, as in Jean still plays tennis but at 79 she's obviously past her prime. Also see the synonym over the hill; prime of life.

pasture

pasture
see put out to grass.