pass the wine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pass the wine" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is requesting or suggesting that wine be handed to them or to another person, often during a meal or gathering. Example: "As we sat down for dinner, I turned to my friend and said, 'Please pass the wine so we can toast to our friendship.'"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Bah, humbug, pass the wine.

Independent

If I went to a dinner party with these middle-aged, middle-class people, the husbands, you could see them thinking: 'Oh God, I have to talk to another wife for an hour and a half, how boring, pass the wine.'" Eventually, with her marriage collapsing, Albertine made a tentative return to music.

The Guardian - Music

"Pass The Wine" is like pouring War's "Spill The Wine," a hit in 1970, into a new bottle, and "I'm Not Signifying" is a competent blues exercise and little more.

The New Yorker

I. A Conversation at the Grownup Table, as Imagined at the Kids' Table MOM: Pass the wine, please.

The New Yorker

And as the hours pass, the wine bottles empty, the baguettes are reduced to crumbs and the persimmons to nothing but peelings.

The New York Times - Food

"Pass the wine," one President could have said, and "I'll pass on the wine," the other could have replied — and the tiny difference, barely registered, might have made all the difference.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Production of carbonation by passing the wine from one bottle to another, under carbon-dioxide pressure, is now seldom employed because of its slowness.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Their early efforts produced mostly simple and shallow-flavored vintages, but as the years passed the wines grew complex, powerful and beautifully perfumed.

The New York Times - Food

If you suddenly hear yourself announcing in a desperate voice, "For the love of God, pass the damn wine!" this may be an indication that you have arrived at your breaking point.

Forbes

"He was passing the red wine around".

Huffington Post

She's the author of dozens of books, including the Oxford Companion to Wine,The World Wine Atlas and How To Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine, and was the first person outside the wine trade to pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exam, in 1984.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pass the wine" in social settings like dinners or parties to create a relaxed and convivial atmosphere. It's a common phrase that facilitates sharing and enjoyment.

Common error

Avoid using "pass the wine" in highly formal or professional environments. It might sound too casual. Instead, opt for more formal requests like "could you please pour the wine".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pass the wine" functions primarily as an imperative request or a polite instruction within a social setting. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. The examples illustrate this function in various contexts, such as dinner parties and casual gatherings.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Wiki

21%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pass the wine" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase that serves as a direct yet polite request for wine, mainly employed in social contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its common use. While versatile, it leans towards a neutral-to-informal register, making it suitable for casual gatherings but potentially less appropriate for highly formal settings. Common synonyms include alternatives like "hand over the wine" or "could you pass the wine", offering variations in politeness and directness. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase encourages sharing and convivial interaction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could you pass the wine

Adds a polite request to the act of passing the wine.

would you mind passing the wine

Expresses a higher level of politeness and indirectness.

hand over the wine

Emphasizes the act of physically transferring the wine.

please give me the wine

Direct request for the wine with an emphasis on politeness.

share the wine, please

Suggests sharing the wine among the group, adding a communal aspect.

slide the wine over

Informal way to ask for the wine, implying a casual setting.

move the wine this way

Similar to sliding, but with a more general direction.

pour the wine for me

Requests that someone pours the wine, changing the action from passing to pouring.

bring the wine here

Requests the wine to be brought to the speaker.

I'll take the wine

Indicates that the speaker wants the wine, often implying they will take it themselves or have it passed to them.

FAQs

How to use "pass the wine" in a sentence?

You can use "pass the wine" in sentences like, "As we sat down for dinner, I said, "Pass the wine, please."" or "Could you please pass the wine? I'd like to offer everyone a toast."

What can I say instead of "pass the wine"?

You can use alternatives like "hand over the wine", "could you pass the wine", or "please give me the wine" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "pass the wine" or "passing the wine"?

"Pass the wine" is typically used as a request or instruction. "Passing the wine" refers to the action in progress. For example, "He is passing the wine around the table" describes someone currently performing the action.

What's the difference between "pass the wine" and "pour the wine"?

"Pass the wine" is a request for someone to hand you the wine bottle. "Pour the wine" asks someone to fill a glass with wine.