- fast
- fastfast1 [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 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; speedy6. 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]9.a) living in a reckless, wild, dissipated way [a fast crowd]b) 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 bacteria13. Photog. adapted to or allowing very short exposure time [a fast lens, fast film]14. Now Dial. complete; sound [a fast sleep]adv.[ME faste < OE fæste < adj.]1. firmly; fixedly2. thoroughly; soundly [fast asleep]3. rapidly; swiftly; quickly; speedily4. ahead of time5. in a reckless, dissipated way; wildly6. [Obs. or Old Poet.] close; near [fast by the river]n.Naut. a rope for mooring [a stern fast]——————☆ a fast oneSlang a deceptive act [to pull a fast one on someone]——————play fast and looseto behave with reckless duplicity or insinceritySYN.- FAST1 and RAPID are generally interchangeable in expressing the idea of a relatively high rate of movement or action, but FAST1 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; FLEET2 suggests a nimbleness or lightness in that which moves swiftly; QUICK implies promptness of action, or occurrence in a brief space 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-ANT. SLOWfast2 [fast, fäst]vi.[ME fasten < OE fæstan, akin to Ger fasten, Goth fastan, lit., hold fast < base of FAST1]1. to abstain from all or certain foods, as in observing a holy day2. to eat very little or nothingn.1. the act of fasting2. a day or period of fasting——————break one's fastto eat food for the first time after fasting, or for the first time in the day
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.