fast
see also: FAST, Fast
Pronunciation
  • (RP, AU, New Zealand, South Africa) enPR: fäst, IPA: /fɑːst/
  • (British, America) enPR: făst, IPA: /fæst/
Adjective

fast (comparative faster, superlative fastest)

  1. (dated) Firmly or securely fixed in place; stable. [from 9th c.]
    That rope is dangerously loose. Make it fast!
    Synonyms: firm, immobile, secure, stable, stuck, tight
    Antonyms: loose
    hypo en
  2. Firm against attack; fortified by nature or art; impregnable; strong.
    • outlaws […] lurking in woods and fast places
    Synonyms: fortified, impenetrable
    Antonyms: penetrable, weak
  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.]
    I am going to buy a fast car.
    Synonyms: quick, rapid, speedy
  5. Causing unusual rapidity of play or action.
    a fast racket, or tennis court
    a fast track
    a fast billiard table
    a fast dance floor
  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.]
    • circa 1606 William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act V, scene 1:
      Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen her rise from her bed, throw her nightgown upon her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it, write upon’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.
    Synonyms: deep, sound
    Antonyms: light
  8. (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.
    Synonyms: colour-fast
  9. (obsolete) Tenacious; retentive.
    • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Gardens
      Roses, damask and red, are fast flowers of their smells.
  10. (dated) Having an extravagant lifestyle or immoral habits. [from 18th c.]
    a fast woman
    • 1852, John Swaby, Physiology of the Opera (page 74)
      […] we remember once hearing a fast man suggest that they were evidently "nobs who had overdrawn the badger by driving fast cattle, and going it high" — the exact signification of which words we did not understand […]
  11. Ahead of the correct time or schedule. [from 19th c.]
    There must be something wrong with the hall clock. It is always fast.
    Synonyms: ahead
    Antonyms: behind, slow
  12. (of photographic film) More sensitive to light than average. [from 20th c.]
Synonyms Antonyms
  • (occurring or happening within a short time) slow
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations 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.].
    Hold this rope as fast as you can.
    • circa 1596-97 William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act II, scene 5:
      smallcaps Shylock:
      […] Do as I bid you; shut doors after you:
      Fast bind, fast find;
      A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.
    Synonyms: firmly, securely, tightly
    Antonyms: loosely
  2. (of sleeping) Deeply or soundly [from 13th c.].
    He is fast asleep.
    Synonyms: deeply
    Antonyms: lightly
  3. Immediately following in place or time; close, very near [from 13th c.].
    The horsemen came fast on our heels.
    Fast by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped. / That ain't my style, said Casey. Strike one, the umpire said.
  4. Quickly, with great speed; within a short time [from 13th c.].
    Do it as fast as you can.
    Synonyms: quickly, rapidly, speedily, swiftly
    Antonyms: slowly
  5. Ahead of the correct time or schedule.
    I think my watch is running fast.
    Synonyms: ahead
    Antonyms: behind
Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • Italian: anticipo
  • Portuguese: adiantadamente
  • Russian: преждевременно
Noun

fast (plural fasts)

  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: express, express train, fast train
    Antonyms: local, slow train, stopper
Interjection
  1. (archery) Short for "stand fast", a warning not to pass between the arrow and the target
    Antonyms: loose
Verb

fast (fasts, present participle fasting; 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.
    Muslims fast during Ramadan and Catholics during Lent.
    • Bible, 2 Samuel 12:21
      Thou didst fast and weep for the child.
    • 1671, John Milton, “Book the Second”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398 ↗:
      Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting waked.
Translations Noun

fast (plural fasts)

  1. The act or practice of abstaining from food or of eating very little food.
    Synonyms: fasting
  2. The period of time during which one abstains from or eats very little food.
    Lent and Ramadan are fasts of two religions.

FAST
Noun

fast

  1. Initialism of Focused assessment with sonography for trauma

Fast
Proper noun
  1. Surname



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