past master

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meaning 'a person having special skill in an activity', is spelt with past, not (as formerly) with passed, although the allusion is to someone who has 'passed' the necessary training and qualification to achieve that status (originally in the context of freemasonry).

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noun

A person with a high degree of knowledge or skill in a particular field: ace, adept, authority, dab hand, expert, master, professional, proficient, wizard. Informal whiz. Slang crackerjack. Chiefly British dab². See ability/inability.

A person who is thoroughly experienced or exceptionally skilled in some activity or craft. For example, We're lucky to get Ella, because she's a past master at fundraising. This expression probably alludes to the original literal meaning, that is, one who formerly held the post of master in a lodge or other organization. Although past mistress was used for an exceptionally skilled woman in the mid-1800s, it is heard less often today, master serving for both sexes. [Mid-1800s]

For a list of words related to past master, see:

• Respectful or Admiring Reference

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