Frequently considered the
opposite of to
fail, especially in
academic contexts, passing is nothing of the sort. "Passing" generally means achieving (at least) the lowest non-failing
grade. The
french verb
passer, also applied to
tests, means something more to the effect of "I sat the
exam" or "I
survived the exam."
I can't help but relate this to
queer lingo, where
passing is that
limbo state where one can
live undetected in the
straight world, arguably a boon and a curse. This is related to
straight privilege and
identity politics.
Another related term:
passable. Not particularly
laudatory, eh?