ships that pass in the night
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Two or more people who encounter one another in a transitory, incidental manner and whose relationship is without lasting significance; two or more people who almost encounter one another, but do not do so.
Hai hoặc nhiều người gặp nhau một cách tạm thời và mối quan hệ của họ không có ý nghĩa lâu dài
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Things which have no significant connection or commonality.
Những thứ không có mối liên hệ hoặc điểm chung đáng kể
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “ships that pass in the night” mean?
Two or more people who encounter one another in a transitory, incidental manner and whose relationship is without lasting significance; two or more people who almost encounter one another, but do not do so.
Is “ships that pass in the night” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.