pass out

[Mark A Mandel]

On Fri, 2 Aug 2002, Drew Danielson wrote:

#If it's taken as a transitive 'pass out', it could mean 'distribute'.
#Though I imagine he wasn't passing cigars/candy/compliments out (or
#passing out cigars/candy/compliments) in this circumstance.....
#
#The article may mean that there isn't independent verification that he
#lost consciousness, and therefore it wasn't stated as a fact.

>From the article:
        >>>

  "Our conductor's got a passenger who has apparently passed out; he's
breathing, but he's passed out," an unidentified crew member tells
dispatch, according to the transcript. "We need medical assistance at
Back Bay Station."
        <<<

Certainly not 'distribute'! And the report evidently originated from the
conductor. Maybe the crew member talking to the dispatcher is inferring
"passed out, unconscious" from a less explicit message from the
conductor, but s/he is reporting it as a fact.

-- Mark A. Mandel