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Definition fast

Etymology 1

From Middle English fast, from Old English fæst (“fast, fixed, firm, secure; constant, steadfast; stiff, heavy, dense; obstinate, bound, costive; enclosed, closed, watertight; strong, fortified”), from Proto-Germanic *fastaz, *fastijaz, *fastuz (“fast, firm, secure”); see it for cognates and further etymology.

The development of “rapid” from an original sense of “secure” apparently happened first in the adverb and then transferred to the adjective; compare hard in expressions like “to run hard”. The original sense of “secure, firm” is now slightly archaic, but retained in the related fasten (“make secure”).

Adjective

fast (comparative faster, superlative fastest)

1. (dated) Firmly or securely fixed in place; stable. [from 9th c.]
2. Firm against attack; fortified by nature or art; impregnable; strong.
3. (of people) Steadfast, with unwavering feeling. (Now mostly in set phrases like fast friend(s).) [from 10th c.]
4. Moving with great speed, or capable of doing so; swift, rapid. [from 14th c.]
5. Causing unusual rapidity of play or action.
6. (computing, of a piece of hardware) Able to transfer data in a short period of time.
7. Deep or sound (of sleep); fast asleep (of people). [16th-19th c.]
8. (of dyes or colours) Not running or fading when subjected to detrimental conditions such as wetness or intense light; permanent. [from 17th c.]
9. (obsolete) Tenacious; retentive.
10. (dated) Having an extravagant lifestyle or immoral habits. [from 18th c.]
11. Ahead of the correct time or schedule. [from 19th c.]
12. (of photographic film) More sensitive to light than average. [from 20th c.]

Adverb

fast (comparative faster, superlative fastest)

1. In a firm or secure manner, securely; in such a way as not to be moved; safe, sound [from 10th c.].
2. (of sleeping) Deeply or soundly [from 13th c.].
3. Immediately following in place or time; close, very near [from 13th c.].
4. Quickly, with great speed; within a short time [from 13th c.].
5. Ahead of the correct time or schedule.

Noun

fast (plural fasts)

1. (Britain, rail transport) A train that calls at only some stations it passes between its origin and destination, typically just the principal stations

Interjection

fast

1. (archery) Short for "stand fast", a warning not to pass between the arrow and the target

Etymology 2

From Middle English fasten, from Old English fæstan (verb), from Proto-Germanic *fastijan?, derived from *fastuz, and thereby related to Etymology 1. Cognate with Dutch vasten, German fasten, Old Norse fasta, Gothic ?????? (fastan), Russian ???? (post). The noun is probably from Old Norse fasta.

Verb

fast (third-person singular simple present fasts, present participle fasting, simple past and past participle fasted)

1. (intransitive) To restrict one’s personal consumption, generally of food, but sometimes other things, in various manners (totally, temporally, by avoiding particular items), often for religious or medical reasons.

Noun

fast (plural fasts)

1. The act or practice of abstaining from food or of eating very little food.
2. The period of time during which one abstains from or eats very little food.

Results 401 Words with the letters FAST

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