en passant

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English

Etymology

An en passant capture 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 though it had moved only one square to a3 (second and third diagrams).

Unadapted borrowing from French en passant.

Pronunciation

Adjective

en passant (not comparable)

  1. (of a capture in chess) Performed by a pawn on an enemy pawn that has just passed over its attack zone.

Adverb

en passant (not comparable)

  1. In passing, by the way, incidentally.
  2. (of capturing an enemy pawn in chess) By moving one's pawn to the square that the enemy pawn has just passed over.
    • 2007, Mark A. Borders, “The Rules”, in The Self-Improvement of Chess: Why the Game's Basics Apply to Daily Living, : Lulu, →ISBN, 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.

Translations

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, volume 127, number 12, Oberlin, Oh.: The Union Library Association, →ISSN, →OCLC, 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, : Lulu, →ISBN, 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, 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, Grande Prairie, Alta.: Sun Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
      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

References

Further reading

Czech

 en passant on Czech Wikipedia

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French en passant.

Pronunciation

Phrase

en passant

  1. (chess) en passant
    Synonym: braní mimochodem

Further reading

  • en passant in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu

Danish

 en passant on Danish Wikipedia

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French en passant.

Pronunciation

Adverb

en passant

  1. en passant
    Synonym: i forbifarten
  2. (chess) en passant

Further reading

French

Pronunciation

Adverb

en passant

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

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Czech: en passant
  • Danish: en passant
  • English: en passant