Passing English pub by green? Days lost! (9)

I believe the answer is:

ephemeral

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'passing' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'english pub by green? days lost' is the wordplay.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'pub' becomes 'ph' (abbreviation for Public House).
'by green? days' becomes 'emera' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'lost' becomes 'l' (abbreviation in sporting league tables).
'e'+'ph'+'emera'+'l'='EPHEMERAL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ephemeral that I've seen before include "Lasting only briefly" , "Transient, fleeting" , "staying for a little while" , "Having only brief existence" , "Fleeting, lasting only a short time" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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