quest vs pass on

quest is a noun but pass on is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
quest	Yes	No	Yes	No
pass on	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, pass on is a hypernym of quest; that is, pass on is a word with a broader meaning than quest:

Other hypernyms of quest include communicate, pass, pass along, put across.

quest (noun)	pass on (noun)
the act of searching for something
a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria

quest (verb)	pass on (verb)
seek alms, as for religious purposes	transmit information
express the need or desire for	cause to be distributed
bark with prolonged noises, of dogs	move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
search the trail of (game)	give to or transfer possession of
make a search (for)	place into the hands or custody of
	transmit (knowledge or skills)
	refer to another person for decision or judgment