fast

fast

fast¹ [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; 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]

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 bacteria

13. 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; fixedly

2. thoroughly; soundly [fast asleep]

3. rapidly; swiftly; quickly; speedily

4. ahead of time

5. in a reckless, dissipated way; wildly

6. [Obs. or Old Poet.] close; near [fast by the river]

n.

Naut. a rope for mooring [a stern fast]

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☆ a fast one

Slang a deceptive act [to pull a fast one on someone]

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play fast and loose

to behave with reckless duplicity or insincerity

SYN.- 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. SLOW

fast² [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 day

2. to eat very little or nothing

n.

1. the act of fasting

2. a day or period of fasting

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break one's fast

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