fast

fast
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

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Fast — Fast, a. [Compar. {Faster}; superl. {Fastest}.] [OE., firm, strong, not loose, AS. f[ae]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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fast — fast1 [fast, fäst] adj. [ME < OE fæst, akin to Ger fest, firm, stable < IE base * pasto , fixed, secure > Arm hast] 1. not easily moved, freed, or separated; firm, fixed, or stuck [the ship was fast on the rocks] 2. firmly fastened or… …   English World dictionary

  • Fast — Fast, adv. welches in zwey einander ziemlich entgegen gesetzten Bedeutungen gefunden wird. 1) * Für sehr, in welchem Verstande schon vaste bey dem Stryker vorkommt. Sie war fast schön, 1 Mos. 12, 14. Ihre Sünden sind fast schwer, Kap. 18, 20. Ein …   Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart

  • Fast — als Abkürzung steht für: First Assistance Samaritian Team, ein Auslandshilfe Team des Arbeiter Samariter Bundes e.V. Fast AQM Scalable TCP, ein Protokoll in der Informatik Fast Search and Transfer, eine norwegische Firma für… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • FAST — als Abkürzung steht für: Fabbrica Automobili Sport Torino, einen von 1919 bis 1925 bestehenden italienischen Automobilproduzenten FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) einen Test zur Erkennung eines Schlaganfalls First Assistance Samaritian Team, ein… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 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. [1913 Webster] We will bind thee fast. Judg. xv. 13. [1913 Webster] 2. In a fast or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fast by — 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. [1913 Webster] We will bind thee fast. Judg. xv. 13. [1913 Webster] 2. In a fast or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • FAST — Automated Screen Trading a computerised trading system used for commodity derivatives on LIFFE. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein financial glossary Fast Market London Stock Exchange Glossary * * * ▪ I. fast fast 1 [fɑːst ǁ fæst] adverb …   Financial and business terms

  • FAST — may refer to: * Fasting, abstaining from food * Nacional Fast Clube, a Brazilian football club * A speed racing for dirt horse racetracks * Fast Search Transfer, a Norwegian company focusing on data search technologies * Fast Auroral Snapshot… …   Wikipedia

  • Fast — • Abstinence from food or drink Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Fast     Fast     † Catholic …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • 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. [1913 Webster] Surfeit is the father of much fast. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Voluntary abstinence from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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