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fast1 definition

fast (fast, fäst)

adjective

  1. not easily moved, freed, or separated; firm, fixed, or stuck the ship was fast on the rocks
  2. firmly fastened or shut make the shutters fast
  3. loyal; devoted fast friends
  4. that will not fade fast colors
  5. rapid in movement or action; swift; quick; speedy
  6. permitting or facilitating swift movement a fast highway
  7. taking or lasting a short time a fast lunch
  8. showing or keeping to a time in advance of a standard or scheduled time his watch is fast
    1. living in a reckless, wild, dissipated way a fast crowd
    2. promiscuous sexually
  10. ☆ Informal glib and deceptive a fast talker
  11. Slang acting, gotten, done, etc. quickly and often dishonestly out for a fast buck
  12. Bacteriology resistant to dissolution or decolorization, as certain bacteria
  13. Photog. adapted to or allowing very short exposure time a fast lens, fast film
  14. 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

  1. firmly; fixedly
  2. thoroughly; soundly fast asleep
  3. rapidly; swiftly; quickly; speedily
  4. ahead of time
  5. in a reckless, dissipated way; wildly
  6. Old Poet., Obsolete close; near fast by the river

Etymology: ME faste < OE fæste < adj.

noun

Naut. a rope for mooring a stern fast
fast Idioms

a fast one

☆
Slang a deceptive act to pull a fast one on someone

play fast and loose

to behave with reckless duplicity or insincerity
fast2 definition

fast (fast, fäst)

intransitive verb

  1. to abstain from all or certain foods, as in observing a holy day
  2. to eat very little or nothing

Etymology: ME fasten < OE fæstan, akin to Ger fasten, Goth fastan, lit., hold fast < base of fast

noun

  1. the act of fasting
  2. a day or period of fasting
fast Idioms

break one's fast

to eat food for the first time after fasting, or for the first time in the day

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms fast idiom

telecom FAST definition - telecom

fast Synonyms

fast

modif.

  1. 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*.

    Antonyms slow*, sluggish*, tardy. *

  2. Firmly fixed

    secure, attached, immovable; see firm 1.

  3. Promiscuous

    wanton, loose, wild, flirtatious; see lewd 2.

  4. Permanent in color

    fadeproof, colorfast, durable, lasting, washable, vat-dyed, indelible, waterproof, fade-resistant.

play fast and loose (with)*

behave recklessly, run wild, be careless; see deceive, misbehave.


fast

n.

abstinence, fast day, Lent, Ramadan, Yom Kippur, banyan day, xerophagy, anorexia, hunger strike.

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


fast

v.

abstain from food, forbear eating, not eat, go hungry, starve, observe a fast, diet.


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.

fast Usage Examples

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.
fast usage examples (more)

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.

fast quotes

To be human at all† we must stand fast a littleöeven at the risk of being heroes.

-Bolt, Robert Oxton

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.

-Burns, Robert

The murmuring poor, who will not fast in peace.

-Crabbe, George

fast quotes (more)

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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"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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