Adjacent Words

Fast definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

F'AST, a.
1. Literally, set, stopped, fixed, or pressed close. Hence, close; tight; as, make fast the door; take fast hold.
2. Firm; immovable.
Who by his strength, setteth fast the mountains. Psalms 115.
3. Close; strong.
Robbers and outlaws - lurking in woods and fast places.
4. Firmly fixed; closely adhering; as, to stick fast in more; to make fast a rope.
5. Close, as sleep; deep; sound; as a fast sleep.
6. Firm in adherence; as a fast friend.
Fast and loose, variable; inconstant; as, to play fast and loose.
F'AST, adv. Firmly; immovably.
We will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand. Judges 15.
F'AST, a. [L. festino. The sense is to press, drive, urge, and it may be from the same root as the preceding word, with a different application.]
Swift; moving rapidly; quick in motion; as a fast horse.
F'AST, adv. Swiftly; rapidly; with quick steps or progression; as, to run fast; to move fast through the water, as a ship; the work goes on fast.
F'AST, v.i.
1. To abstain from food, beyond the usual time; to omit to take the usual meals, for a time; as, to fast a day or a week.
2. To abstain from food voluntarily, for the mortification of the body or appetites, or as a token of grief, sorrow and affliction.
Thou didst fast and weep for the child. 1 Samuel 12.
When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. Matthew 6.
3. To abstain from food partially, or from particular kinds of food; as, the Catholics fast in Lent.
F'AST, n.
1. Abstinence from food; properly a total abstinence, but it is used also for an abstinence from particular kinds of food, for a certain time.
Happy were our forefathers, who broke their fasts with herbs.
2. Voluntary abstinence from food, as a religious mortification or humiliation; either total or partial abstinence from customary food, with a view to mortify the appetites, or to express grief and affliction on account of some calamity, or to deprecate an expected evil.
3. The time of fasting, whether a day, week or longer time. An annual fast is kept in New England, usually one day in the spring.
The fast was now already past. Acts 27.
F'AST, n. That which fastens or holds.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; "fast film"; "on the fast track in school"; "set a fast pace"; "a fast car" [ant: slow]
2: (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time; "my watch is fast" [ant: slow]
3: at a rapid tempo; "the band played a fast fox trot" [ant: slow]
4: (of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds; "a fast road"; "grass courts are faster than clay"
5: resistant to destruction or fading; "fast colors"
6: unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated and degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" [syn: debauched, degenerate, degraded, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, profligate, riotous, fast]
7: hurried and brief; "paid a flying visit"; "took a flying glance at the book"; "a quick inspection"; "a fast visit" [syn: flying, quick, fast]
8: securely fixed in place; "the post was still firm after being hit by the car" [syn: fast, firm, immobile]
9: unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm ally"; "loyal supporters"; "the true-hearted soldier...of Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; "fast friends" [syn: firm, loyal, truehearted, fast]
10: (of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of exposure time; "a fast lens" n
1: abstaining from food [syn: fast, fasting] v
1: abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons; "Catholics sometimes fast during Lent"
2: abstain from eating; "Before the medical exam, you must fast" adv
1: quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form); "how fast can he get here?"; "ran as fast as he could"; "needs medical help fast"; "fast-running rivers"; "fast-breaking news"; "fast-opening (or fast-closing) shutters"
2: firmly or closely; "held fast to the rope"; "her foot was stuck fast"; "held tight" [syn: fast, tight]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fæst; akin to Old High German festi firm, Old Norse fastr, Armenian hast Date: before 12th century 1. a. firmly fixed <roots fast in the ground> b. tightly shut <the drawers were fast> c. adhering firmly d. not easily freed ; stuck <a ball fast in the mouth of the cannon> e. stable <movable items were made fast to the deck> 2. firmly loyal <became fast friends> 3. a. characterized by quick motion, operation, or effect: (1) moving or able to move rapidly ; swift (2) taking a comparatively short time (3) imparting quickness of motion <a fast bowler> (4) accomplished quickly (5) agile of mind; especially quick to learn <a class for fast students> b. conducive to rapidity of play or action c. (1) of a timepiece or weighing device indicating in advance of what is correct (2) according to or being daylight saving time d. contributing to a shortening of exposure time <fast film> e. acquired with unusually little effort and often by shady or dishonest methods <had a keen eye for a fast buck — R. A. Keith> 4. a. securely attached <a rope fast to the wharf> b. tenacious <a fast hold on her purse> 5. a. archaic sound asleep b. of sleep not easily disturbed 6. not fading or changing color readily 7. a. wild <a pretty fast crowd> b. sexually promiscuous 8. resistant to change (as from destructive action or fading) <fast dyes> — often used in combination <sunfast> <acid-fast bacteria> Synonyms: fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity. fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves <fast horses> and rapid to the movement itself <rapid current>. swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement <returned the ball with one swift stroke>. fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness <fleet runners>. quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time <a quick wit>. speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment <speedy delivery of mail> and may also suggest unusual velocity. hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness <a hasty inspection>. expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment <the expeditious handling of an order>. II. adverb Date: before 12th century 1. in a firm or fixed manner <stuck fast> 2. in a sound manner ; deeply <fast asleep> 3. a. in a rapid manner ; quickly b. in quick succession 4. in a reckless or dissipated manner 5. ahead of a correct time or schedule 6. archaic close, near III. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fæstan Date: before 12th century 1. to abstain from food 2. to eat sparingly or abstain from some foods IV. noun Date: before 12th century 1. the practice of fasting 2. a time of fasting V. noun Etymology: alteration of Middle English fest, from Old Norse festr rope, mooring cable, from fastr firm Date: 15th century something that fastens (as a mooring line) or holds a fastening

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj. & adv. --adj. 1 rapid, quick-moving. 2 capable of high speed (a fast car). 3 enabling or causing or intended for high speed (a fast road; fast lane). 4 (of a clock etc.) showing a time ahead of the correct time. 5 (of a pitch or ground etc. in a sport) likely to make the ball bounce or run quickly. 6 a (of a photographic film) needing only a short exposure. b (of a lens) having a large aperture. 7 a firmly fixed or attached. b secure; firmly established (a fast friendship). 8 (of a colour) not fading in light or when washed. 9 (of a person) immoral, dissipated. --adv. 1 quickly; in quick succession. 2 firmly, fixedly, tightly, securely (stand fast; eyes fast shut). 3 soundly, completely (fast asleep). Phrases and idioms: fast breeder (or fast breeder reactor) a reactor using fast neutrons to produce the same fissile material as it uses. fast buck see BUCK(2). fast food food that can be prepared and served quickly and easily, esp. in a snack bar or restaurant. fast neutron a neutron with high kinetic energy, esp. not slowed by a moderator etc. fast reactor a nuclear reactor using mainly fast neutrons. fast-talk US colloq. persuade by rapid or deceitful talk. fast-wind wind (magnetic tape) rapidly backwards or forwards. fast worker colloq. a person who achieves quick results, esp. in love affairs. pull a fast one colloq. try to deceive or gain an unfair advantage. Etymology: OE fæst f. Gmc 2. v. & n. --v.intr. abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, esp. as a religious observance. --n. an act or period of fasting. Derivatives: faster n. Etymology: ON fasta f. Gmc (as FAST(1))

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, a. In such a condition, as to resilience, etc., as to make possible unusual rapidity of play or action; as, a fast racket, or tennis court; a fast track; a fast billiard table, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fasting.] [AS. f[ae]stan; akin to D. vasten, OHG. fast[=e]n, G. fasten, Icel. & Sw. fasta, Dan. faste, Goth. fastan to keep, observe, fast, and prob. to E. fast firm.] 1. To abstain from food; to omit to take nourishment in whole or in part; to go hungry. Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting waked. --Milton. 2. To practice abstinence as a religious exercise or duty; to abstain from food voluntarily for a time, for the mortification of the body or appetites, or as a token of grief, or humiliation and penitence. Thou didst fast and weep for the child. --2 Sam. xii. 21. Fasting day, a fast day; a day of fasting.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, adv. [OE. faste firmly, strongly, quickly, AS. f[ae]ste. See Fast, a.] 1. In a fast, fixed, or firmly established manner; fixedly; firmly; immovably. We will bind thee fast. --Judg. xv. 13. 2. In a fast or rapid manner; quickly; swiftly; extravagantly; wildly; as, to run fast; to live fast. Fast by, or Fast beside, close or near to; near at hand. He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk Into the wood fast by. --Milton. Fast by the throne obsequious Fame resides. --Pope.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, n. [OE. faste, fast; cf. AS. f[ae]sten, OHG. fasta, G. faste. See Fast, v. i.] 1. Abstinence from food; omission to take nourishment. Surfeit is the father of much fast. --Shak. 2. Voluntary abstinence from food, for a space of time, as a spiritual discipline, or as a token of religious humiliation. 3. A time of fasting, whether a day, week, or longer time; a period of abstinence from food or certain kinds of food; as, an annual fast. Fast day, a day appointed for fasting, humiliation, and religious offices as a means of invoking the favor of God. To break one's fast, to put an end to a period of abstinence by taking food; especially, to take one's morning meal; to breakfast. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, a. [Compar. Faster; superl. Fastest.] [OE., firm, strong, not loose, AS. f?st; akin to OS. fast, D. vast, OHG. fasti, festi, G. fest, Icel. fastr, Sw. & Dan. fast, and perh. to E. fetter. The sense swift comes from the idea of keeping close to what is pursued; a Scandinavian use. Cf. Fast, adv., Fast, v., Avast.] 1. Firmly fixed; closely adhering; made firm; not loose, unstable, or easily moved; immovable; as, to make fast the door. There is an order that keeps things fast. --Burke. 2. Firm against attack; fortified by nature or art; impregnable; strong. Outlaws . . . lurking in woods and fast places. --Spenser. 3. Firm in adherence; steadfast; not easily separated or alienated; faithful; as, a fast friend. 4. Permanent; not liable to fade by exposure to air or by washing; durable; lasting; as, fast colors. 5. Tenacious; retentive. [Obs.] Roses, damask and red, are fast flowers of their smells. --Bacon. 6. Not easily disturbed or broken; deep; sound. All this while in a most fast sleep. --Shak. 7. Moving rapidly; quick in mition; rapid; swift; as, a fast horse. 8. Given to pleasure seeking; disregardful of restraint; reckless; wild; dissipated; dissolute; as, a fast man; a fast liver. --Thackeray. Fast and loose, now cohering, now disjoined; inconstant, esp. in the phrases to play at fast and loose, to play fast and loose, to act with giddy or reckless inconstancy or in a tricky manner; to say one thing and do another. ``Play fast and loose with faith.'' --Shak. Fast and loose pulleys (Mach.), two pulleys placed side by side on a revolving shaft, which is driven from another shaft by a band, and arranged to disengage and re["e]ngage the machinery driven thereby. When the machinery is to be stopped, the band is transferred from the pulley fixed to the shaft to the pulley which revolves freely upon it, and vice versa. Hard and fast (Naut.), so completely aground as to be immovable. To make fast (Naut.), to make secure; to fasten firmly, as a vessel, a rope, or a door.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, n. That which fastens or holds; especially, (Naut.) a mooring rope, hawser, or chain; -- called, according to its position, a bow, head, quarter, breast, or stern fast; also, a post on a pier around which hawsers are passed in mooring.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fast Fast, n. [OF. fust, F. f?t, fr. L. fustis stick staff.] (Arch.) The shaft of a column, or trunk of pilaster. --Gwilt.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(faster, fastest, fasts, fasting, fasted) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Fast means happening, moving, or doing something at great speed. You also use fast in questions or statements about speed. ...fast cars with flashing lights and sirens... Brindley was known as a very, very fast driver... The party aims to attract votes from the business and professional communities, which want a faster pace of political reform... The only question is how fast the process will be. = quick ? slow ADJ • Fast is also an adverb. They work terrifically fast... It would be nice to go faster and break the world record... Barnes also knows that he is fast running out of time... How fast were you driving?... How fast would the disease develop? = quickly ? slowly ADV: ADV with v 2. You use fast to say that something happens without any delay. When you've got a crisis like this you need professional help–fast!... We'd appreciate your leaving as fast as possible. = soon, swiftly ADV: ADV after v • Fast is also an adjective. That would be an astonishingly fast action on the part of the Congress. = swift ADJ: ADJ n 3. If a watch or clock is fast, it is showing a time that is later than the real time. That clock's an hour fast. ADJ: v-link ADJ 4. If you hold something fast, you hold it tightly and firmly. If something is stuck fast, it is stuck very firmly and cannot move. She climbed the staircase cautiously, holding fast to the rail... The tanker is stuck fast on the rocks. = firmly ADV: ADV after v 5. If you hold fast to a principle or idea, or if you stand fast, you do not change your mind about it, even though people are trying to persuade you to. We can only try to hold fast to the age-old values of honesty, decency and concern for others... He told supporters to stand fast over the next few vital days. = firm ADV: ADV after v 6. If colours or dyes are fast, they do not come out of the fabrics they are used on when they get wet. The fabric was ironed to make the colours fast. ADJ: usu v-link ADJ 7. If you fast, you eat no food for a period of time, usually for either religious or medical reasons, or as a protest. I fasted for a day and half and asked God to help me. VERB: V • Fast is also a noun. The fast is broken at sunset, traditionally with dates and water. N-COUNT • fasting ...the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer. 8. Someone who is fast asleep is completely asleep. When he went upstairs five minutes later, she was fast asleep. PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v 9. to make a fast buck: see buck

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The sole fast required by the law of Moses was that of the great Day of Atonement (q.v.), Lev. 23:26-32. It is called "the fast" (Acts 27:9).

The only other mention of a periodical fast in the Old Testament is in Zech. 7:1-7; 8:19, from which it appears that during their captivity the Jews observed four annual fasts.

(1.) The fast of the fourth month, kept on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, the anniversary of the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; to commemorate also the incident recorded Ex. 32:19. (Comp. Jer. 52:6, 7.)

(2.) The fast of the fifth month, kept on the ninth of Ab (comp. Num. 14:27), to commemorate the burning of the city and temple (Jer. 52:12, 13).

(3.) The fast of the seventh month, kept on the third of Tisri (comp. 2 Kings 25), the anniversary of the murder of Gedaliah (Jer. 41:1, 2).

(4.) The fast of the tenth month (comp. Jer. 52:4; Ezek. 33:21; 2 Kings 25:1), to commemorate the beginning of the siege of the holy city by Nebuchadnezzar.

There was in addition to these the fast appointed by Esther (4:16).

Public national fasts on account of sin or to supplicate divine favour were sometimes held. (1.) 1 Sam. 7:6; (2.) 2 Chr. 20:3; (3.) Jer. 36:6-10; (4.) Neh. 9:1.

There were also local fasts. (1.) Judg. 20:26; (2.) 2 Sam. 1:12; (3.) 1 Sam. 31:13; (4.) 1 Kings 21:9-12; (5.) Ezra 8:21-23: (6.) Jonah 3:5-9.

There are many instances of private occasional fasting (1 Sam. 1:7: 20:34; 2 Sam. 3:35; 12:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 10:6; Neh. 1:4; Dan. 10:2,3). Moses fasted forty days (Ex. 24:18; 34:28), and so also did Elijah (1 Kings 19:8). Our Lord fasted forty days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2).

In the lapse of time the practice of fasting was lamentably abused (Isa. 58:4; Jer. 14:12; Zech. 7:5). Our Lord rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocritical pretences in fasting (Matt. 6:16). He himself appointed no fast. The early Christians, however, observed the ordinary fasts according to the law of their fathers (Acts 13:3; 14:23; 2 Cor. 6:5).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. Abstain from food, forbear eating, go without food, go hungry. II. n. 1. Fasting, abstinence from food. 2. Fast-day, day of fasting, banyan day. 3. Time of fasting. 4. Rope (to fasten a vessel to wharf). III. a. 1. Fastened, fixed, close, tight. 2. Immovable, firm. 3. Constant, steadfast, stanch. 4. Fortified, strong, impregnable. 5. Sound, deep, profound. 6. Swift, quick, fleet, rapid. 7. Dissipated, wild, giddy, reckless, thoughtless, thriftless, extravagant. IV. ad. 1. Firmly, tightly, immovably. 2. Swiftly, quickly, rapidly. 3. Extravagantly, prodigally, recklessly, wildly.

Moby Thesaurus

Barmecidal feast, Encratism, Friday, Lenten diet, Lenten entertainment, Lenten fare, Pythagoreanism, Pythagorism, Rechabitism, Sabbath, Shakerism, Spartan fare, Stoicism, Sunday, abandoned, abstain, abstainment, abstemiousness, abstention, abstinence, accelerated, active, agile, aground, airtight, alert, amain, anchored, apace, ardent, asceticism, at flank speed, attached, avoidance, balanced, banyan day, bare subsistence, bonded, bound, bread and water, breakneck, brief, brisk, briskly, calculable, caught, celibacy, cemented, chained, chastity, chronic, church calendar, close, close to, closely, colorfast, committed, compact, confirmed, connected, constant, continence, cool, dashing, debauched, dedicated, deep-dyed, deep-fixed, deep-rooted, deep-seated, deep-set, deep-settled, dependable, devoted, diet, dissipated, dissolute, dissolutely, double-dyed, double-quick, dustproof, dusttight, dyed-in-the-wool, eagle-winged, eat sparingly, ecclesiastical calendar, eschewal, established, expeditious, expeditiously, express, extravagant, extravagantly, fadeless, faithful, faithworthy, fastened, fasting, feast, fecklessly, fiducial, firm, firm as Gibraltar, firmly, fish day, fixed, fixedly, flat-out, fleet, flying, free, fruitarianism, full tilt, gallant, galloping, gasproof, gastight, gay, glued, go hungry, grounded, gymnosophy, hair-trigger, hand over fist, hand over hand, hastily, hasty, headlong, held, hell for leather, hell-bent, hell-bent for election, hermetic, hermetically sealed, high and dry, high-speed, holy day, holytide, hurried, hurriedly, hustling, immediately, immoral, immovable, immovably, impacted, imperturbable, implanted, in a flash, in a twinkling, in a wink, in double time, in double-quick time, in equilibrium, in high, in high gear, in nothing flat, in seven-league boots, in short order, incorrigible, inculcated, indecorous, indecorously, indelible, inextricable, infixed, ingrain, ingrained, inseparably, instilled, intemperate, intemperately, inveterate, invincible, irresponsible, irreversible, jammed, keen, lack of food, lasting, lecherous, lecherously, licentious, licentiously, lickety-cut, lickety-split, liege, light of heel, light-footed, lightproof, lighttight, like a flash, like a shot, like wildfire, lively, long-established, loose, loosely, loyal, lustful, lustfully, meager diet, mercurial, moored, near, nephalism, nimble, nimble-footed, not eat, of easy virtue, oilproof, oiltight, on the double, packed, permanent, plain living, post, posthaste, precipitate, predictable, presto, profligate, promiscuous, promiscuously, prompt, promptly, pronto, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, quickly, rainproof, raintight, rakehell, rakehellish, rakehelly, raking, rakish, rapid, rapidly, reckless, recklessly, refraining, refrainment, reliable, resolute, right, rooted, running, sealed, secure, secured, securely, self-denial, self-indulgent, set, settled, settled in habit, sexual abstinence, short commons, shut fast, simple diet, smokeproof, smoketight, snappily, snappy, snug, solid, solidly, soon, sound, soundly, spanking, spare diet, speedily, speedy, stable, starvation diet, staunch, steadfast, steadfastly, steady, stormproof, stormtight, stranded, strong, stuck, stuck fast, substantial, sure, surefire, swift, swiftly, sybaritic, sybaritically, taped, teetotalism, tested, tethered, the pledge, thorough, tied, tight, tightly, total abstinence, transfixed, tried, tried and true, trippingly, true, trustworthy, trusty, unbridled, under forced draft, unfading, unfailing, unflappable, unflinching, unrestrained, unrestrainedly, unshakable, unshakably, unshakeable, unshakeably, unwavering, vegetarianism, wanton, wantonly, water-repellant, waterproof, watertight, wedged, well-balanced, well-founded, well-grounded, whip and spur, wild, wildly, windproof, windtight, winged, with all haste, with all speed, with giant strides, with rapid strides, with speed, without nerves, xerophagia, xerophagy