Is this an American phrase cause i heard somebody use it in the UK the other day. Just struck me as odd, are people uncomfortable saying somebody has died nowadays?

I admit i'd not heard this in common usage til after MJ died.

'Passed'

it used to be "passed away," even

I prefer "went to the worms" myself

NDRU said:

Of course from 'passed away', but do we have to shorten everything down to one word? it's silly.

NDRU said:

It's a gentler way of saying someone has croaked.

As in they've "passed on" to the afterlife (if you beleive in that kind of stuff).

I did a little research and found out that the euphermism for death "passed" (the verb by itself) has been in existence since the 1300s. Thus, the terms "passed on" and "passed away" have not been newly shorten.
[Edited 11/16/09 11:44am]

well you wouldn't say you died your exams would you? when you die you've passed the great exam of life in flying colours and can fuck off back to a better place. a fucking wooden box covered in six foot of dirt

dannyd5050 said:

right, it implies that they didn't die, almost, but only moved on to the next phase

I've heard the old ladies at church say it: "You know, so-snd-so passed laast week".