wave through
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To wave your hand to tell someone they can pass, or to approve something without really checking it.
Literal meaning: To wave someone through a gate or barrier — transparent and directly related to the figurative sense.
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To use a hand gesture to allow someone to pass through a barrier, checkpoint, or gate.
"The border guard glanced at our passports and waved us through."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To approve a proposal, plan, or piece of legislation quickly and without thorough examination.
"The committee waved through the budget without asking a single question."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Common in both physical contexts (border control, traffic) and figurative ones (approving legislation or proposals too easily). The figurative sense is widely used in political and journalistic discourse.
Commonly used with
border checkpoint customs legislation proposal bill guard driver
Forms
Base
wave through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
waves through
he/she/it
Past simple
waved through
yesterday
Past participle
waved through
have + pp
-ing form
waving through
continuous
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