Definition

• n. - A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.
• n. - The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; -- opposed to action.
• n. - Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
• n. - The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.
• n. - Disorder of the mind; madness.
• n. - Passion week. See Passion week, below.