The phrase: "pass out" (=overtake)

iptba

I was on a discussion board and somebody from the US didn't know what the phrase "pass out" meant e.g. John passed out Pat to take second place in the race; I passed out the car that was in front of me on the road (or, putting "out" after what is being overtaken: I passed the car out that was in front of me on the road).

I'm just curious whether it is acceptable in written English? Also, is it restricted to some countries or even would it not be understood by some/many/most Irish-born people whose first language is English? e.g. is it used mainly in some counties (I've lived all my life in Dublin). Other random thoughts* on it welcomed.

[I thought it was a common phrase but didn't find it in my (fairly big) dictionary from what I could see but perhaps that is because it was under pass?]

*that aren't insults, I suppose I should say.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

iptba

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Thanks. Familiar with that usage. That was the only meaning the person from the US knew of.

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[Aside: My confidence in phrases I use decreased a bit when I learned that "to give out" = "to complain" is actually a Hiberno-English word. I'm hearing that all the time now but still trying to remember not to use it when talking to people outside Ireland].
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Here are two boardsies using it:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=51288383&postcount=1

i was coming home 2 day and we were in traffic and the man in front of use car broke down i was in the car with my momnd we got out to see if we could help then this fela in a car just started to beep and passed the car out and then another man in a car passed him out so i was helpin the fella to push his car and the only other people that would help were two polish lads behind us,i taut we were suposed to be a helpful nation

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68741430&postcount=1

If I had been driving behind the truck in the left lane and passed him out then I'd say no problem Guard.

looksee

Iptba has it right, its an Irish expression, though one that is so obvious that I would think most people would not even comment on it.

I've only ever heard it used in Ireland, but you'd have to be pretty dim not to understand it from the context.

Monty Burnz

Jazlynn Freezing Tightrope wrote: »

I've only ever heard it used in Ireland, but you'd have to be pretty dim not to understand it from the context.

OP said the person who didn't understand was from the US.

pickarooney

Does the other transitive form "pass out" not exist elsewhere as in "Alphonse passed out the leaflets"?