fast
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fast (fast, fäst)
adjective
- not easily moved, freed, or separated; firm, fixed, or stuck the ship was fast on the rocks
- firmly fastened or shut make the shutters fast
- loyal; devoted fast friends
- that will not fade fast colors
- rapid in movement or action; swift; quick; speedy
- permitting or facilitating swift movement a fast highway
- taking or lasting a short time a fast lunch
- showing or keeping to a time in advance of a standard or scheduled time his watch is fast
- living in a reckless, wild, dissipated way a fast crowd
- promiscuous sexually
- ☆ Informal glib and deceptive a fast talker
- Slang acting, gotten, done, etc. quickly and often dishonestly out for a fast buck
- Bacteriology resistant to dissolution or decolorization, as certain bacteria
- Photog. adapted to or allowing very short exposure time a fast lens, fast film
- Now Dial. complete; sound a fast sleep
Etymology: ME < OE fæst, akin to Ger fest, firm, stable < IE base *pasto-, fixed, secure > Arm hast
adverb
- firmly; fixedly
- thoroughly; soundly fast asleep
- rapidly; swiftly; quickly; speedily
- ahead of time
- in a reckless, dissipated way; wildly
- Old Poet., Obsolete close; near fast by the river
Etymology: ME faste < OE fæste < adj.
noun
a fast one
☆play fast and loose
fast (fast, fäst)
intransitive verb
- to abstain from all or certain foods, as in observing a holy day
- to eat very little or nothing
Etymology: ME fasten < OE fæstan, akin to Ger fasten, Goth fastan, lit., hold fast < base of fast
noun
- the act of fasting
- a day or period of fasting
break one's fast
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
fast
modif.
Rapid
swift, fleet, quick, speedy, brisk, flying, expeditious, express, accelerated, hasty, nimble, winged, mercurial, lightninglike, flashing, swift-footed, hypersonic, high-speed, active, electric, agile, ready, dashing, swift as an arrow, quick as lightning, like a flash, quick as thought, racing, fleeting, up-tempo, hurried, precipitate, breakneck, headlong, like a bat out of hell*, lickety-split*, like a house afire*, hellbent*, on the double*, at warp speed*. Firmly fixed
Promiscuous
wanton, loose, wild, flirtatious; see lewd 2.Permanent in color
fadeproof, colorfast, durable, lasting, washable, vat-dyed, indelible, waterproof, fade-resistant.
play fast and loose (with)*
fast
n.
fast and rapid are generally interchangeable in expressing the idea of a relatively high rate of movement or action, but fast more often refers to the person or thing that moves or acts, and rapid to the action a fast typist, rapid transcription; swift implies great rapidity, but in addition often connotes smooth, easy movement; fleet suggests a nimbleness or lightness in that which moves swiftly; quick implies promptness of action, or occurrence in a brief amount of time, rather than velocity a quick reply; speedy intensifies the idea of quickness, but may also connote high velocity a speedy recovery, a speedy flight; hasty suggests hurried action and may connote carelessness, rashness, or impatience
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Object
- sample: It does not have to be measured on a fasting sample of blood.
Modifying Another Word
- extremely: Pegasus Aviation Pegasus make the rag and tube AX2000 range, plus the extremely fast, very pretty and alarmingly expensive fully composite CT2K.
Modifies a noun
- lap: He finished 14th - setting the second fastest lap of the race.
Used with adjective complement
- grow: Is trade in services growing faster than trade in goods?
Preposition: in
- practice: Nigel Longton's D'Oh team from Barclays Capital were actually second fastest in practice.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
To be human at all we must stand fast a littleöeven at the risk of being heroes.
AsTammie glowr'd, amaz'd, and curious, The mirth and fun grew fast and furious: The piper loud and louder blew; The dancers quick and quicker flew.
The murmuring poor, who will not fast in peace.
Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Cite this page:
MLA Style
"fast." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/fast>
APA Style
fast. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/fast

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