The plural of past; multiple previous times or histories, or people's former lives and experiences.
From Old English 'pæst,' the past participle of 'pass,' meaning something that has gone by or moved forward in time. The plural form simply indicates multiple instances.
The word 'past' is fascinating because it literally comes from 'pass'—the past is what has 'passed' by you, which is why time is often described as 'passing' rather than 'moving,' as if moments physically move away from us.
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