passport

Definitions

pass (go through) + port (gate/harbor, from Latin portus) = 'a paper that lets you pass through the port.' In the age of walled port cities, no one got past the gate without it. Figuratively, 'a passport to success' is anything that gets you through the gate of an opportunity.

Why It Means This

Passport is a compound word from Old French passeport — literally a document authorizing passage through a port or gate. In medieval Europe, travelers needed written permission to pass through the gates of walled cities and harbors. Today it refers to the standard government-issued identity document for international travel. Figuratively, 'a passport to success' means something that grants access to an opportunity.

Common Collocations

• 1.valid passport有效护照
• 2.passport holder护照持有人
• 3.passport control护照查验
• 4.renew a passport续签护照
• 5.passport to success通往成功的通行证

Example Sentences

• 1.

  You need a valid passport to travel abroad.

• 2.

  She renewed her passport before the expiration date.

• 3.

  A good education can be a passport to a better life.