Fast

Pronunciation

• RP enPR: fäst, IPA: /fɑːst/
• Rhymes: -ɑːst
• UK enPR: făst, IPA: /fæst/
• Rhymes: -æst

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").

Full definition of fast

Adjective

1. (dated) Firmly or securely fixed in place; stable. from 9th c.That rope is dangerously loose. Make it fast!
2. Firm against attack; fortified by nature or art; impregnable; strong.
• Spenseroutlaws ... lurking in woods and fast places
3. (of people) Steadfast, with unwavering feeling. (Now only in set phrases like "fast friend".) from 10th c.
4. Moving with great speed, or capable of doing so; swift, rapid. from 14th c.I am going to buy a fast car.
5. (computing, of a piece of hardware) Able to transfer data in a short period of time.
6. Deep or sound (of sleep); fast asleep (of people). 16th-19th c.
• Shakespeareall this while in a most fast sleep
7. (of dyes or colours) Not running or fading when subjected to detrimental conditions such as wetness or intense light; permanent. from 17th c.All the washing has come out pink. That red tee-shirt was not fast.
8. (obsolete) Tenacious; retentive.
• Francis BaconRoses, damask and red, are fast flowers of their smells.
9. (colloquial) Having an extravagant lifestyle or immoral habits. from 18th c.She's fast – she slept with him on their first date..
10. Ahead of the correct time or schedule. from 19th c.There must be something wrong with the hall clock. It is always fast.
11. (of photographic film) More sensitive to light than average. from 20th c.

Synonyms

• (occurring or happening within a short time) quick, rapid, speedy, swift
• (capable of moving with great speed) quick, rapid, speedy
• (ahead of the correct time or schedule) ahead
• (rapidly consents to sexual activity) easy, slutty
• (firmly or securely fixed in place) firm, immobile, secure, stable, stuck, tight
• (firm against attack) fortified, impenetrable
• (of a dye: not running or fading) colour-fast
• (of sleep: deep or sound) deep, sound

Antonyms

• (occurring or happening within a short time) slow
• (ahead of the correct time or schedule) slow, behind
• (firmly or securely fixed in place) loose
• (firm against attack) penetrable, weak
• (of sleep: deep or sound) light

Derived terms

• bedfast
• chairfast
• fasten

• fast and furious
• fast food
• fast-forward

Adverb

1. In a firm or secure manner, securely; in such a way as not to be moved from 10th c..
   Hold this rope as fast as you can.
2. (of sleeping) Deeply or soundly from 13th c..
   He is fast asleep.
3. Immediately following in place or time; close, very near from 13th c..
   The horsemen came fast on our heels.
4. Quickly, with great speed; within a short time from 13th c..
• 2013-08-17, Pennies streaming from heaven, Faster than a speeding bit, the internet upended media and entertainment companies. Piracy soared, and sales of albums and films slid. Newspapers lost advertising and readers to websites. Stores selling books, CDs and DVDs went bust. Doomsayers predicted that consumers and advertisers would abandon pay-television en masse in favour of online alternatives.
5. Do it as fast as you can.
6. Ahead of the correct time or schedule.
   I think my watch is running fast.

Synonyms

• (quickly) quickly, rapidly, speedily, swiftly
• (in a firm or secure manner) firmly, securely, tightly
• (of sleeping: deeply or soundly) deeply
• (ahead of the correct time or schedule) ahead

Antonyms

• (quickly) slowly
• (in a firm or secure manner) loosely
• (of sleeping: deeply or soundly) lightly
• (ahead of the correct time or schedule) behind

Noun

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

Synonyms

• (rail transport) express, express train, fast train

Antonyms

• (rail transport) local, slow train, stopper

Interjection

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

Antonyms

• (archery) loose

From Middle English fasten, from Old English fæstan (verb), from Proto-Germanic *fastijaną. Cognate with Dutch vasten, German fasten, Old Norse fasta, Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽, Russian пост. The noun is probably from Old Norse fasta.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To abstain from food, or eat very little, especially for religious or medical reasons.Muslims fast during Ramadan.
• Bible, 2 Sam. xii. 21Thou didst fast and weep for the child.
• MiltonFasting he went to sleep, and fasting waked.
• 2007, John Zerzan, Silence, p. 3,It is at the core of the Vision Quest, the solitary period of fasting and closeness to the earth to discover one's life path and purpose.

Noun

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
• Lent and Ramadan are fasts of two religions.

Synonyms

• (act or practice) fasting

Derived terms

Anagrams

• fats
• SAFT
• TAFs