| English Dictionary |
FAST
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does fast mean?
• FAST (noun)
The noun FAST has 1 sense:
1. abstaining from food
Familiarity information: FAST used as a noun is very rare.
• FAST (adjective)
The adjective FAST has 10 senses:
1. acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly
2. (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time
3. at a rapid tempo
4. (of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds
5. resistant to destruction or fading
6. unrestrained by convention or morality
7. hurried and brief
8. securely fixed in place
9. unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause
10. (of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of exposure time
Familiarity information: FAST used as an adjective is familiar.
• FAST (verb)
The verb FAST has 2 senses:
1. abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons
2. abstain from eating
Familiarity information: FAST used as a verb is rare.
• FAST (adverb)
The adverb FAST has 2 senses:
1. quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
2. firmly or closely
Familiarity information: FAST used as an adverb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Abstaining from food
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
fast; fasting
Hypernyms ("fast" is a kind of...):
abstinence (act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fast"):
diet; dieting (the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods))
hunger strike (a voluntary fast undertaken as a means of protest)
Ramadan ((Islam) a fast (held from sunrise to sunset) that is carried out during the Islamic month of Ramadan)
Derivation:
fast (abstain from eating)
fast (abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons)
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: fastest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly
Context example:
a fast car
Similar:
hurrying; scurrying (moving with great haste)
instant; instantaneous (occurring with no delay)
immediate; prompt; quick; straightaway (performed with little or no delay)
meteoric (like a meteor in speed or brilliance or transience)
quick; speedy (accomplished rapidly and without delay)
rapid (done or occurring in a brief period of time)
rapid; speedy (characterized by speed; moving with or capable of moving with high speed)
smart (quick and brisk)
winged (very fast; as if with wings)
windy (resembling the wind in speed, force, or variability)
fleet; swift (moving very fast)
fast-paced (of communication that proceeds rapidly)
fast-breaking (occurring rapidly as a series of events in rapid succession)
express (without unnecessary stops)
double-quick ((of a marching cadence) very quick)
blistering; hot; red-hot (very fast; capable of quick response and great speed)
alacritous (quick and eager)
accelerated (speeded up, as of an academic course)
high-speed; high-velocity (operating at high speed)
Also:
sudden (happening without warning or in a short space of time)
hurried (moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste)
Attribute:
fastness; speed; swiftness (a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens)
Antonym:
slow (not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time)
Derivation:
fastness (a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens)
Sense 2
Meaning:
(used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time
Context example:
my watch is fast
Antonym:
slow ((used of timepieces) indicating a time earlier than the correct time)
Sense 3
Meaning:
At a rapid tempo
Context example:
the band played a fast fox trot
Similar:
allegro ((of tempo) fast)
allegretto ((of tempo) faster than allegro)
andantino ((of tempo) moderately fast)
presto ((of tempo) very fast)
prestissimo ((of tempo) as fast as possible)
vivace ((of tempo) very fast and lively)
Domain category:
music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)
Antonym:
slow (at a slow tempo)
Derivation:
fastness (a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens)
Sense 4
Meaning:
(of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds
Context example:
grass courts are faster than clay
Similar:
smooth (having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Resistant to destruction or fading
Context example:
fast colors
Similar:
imperviable; impervious (not admitting of passage or capable of being affected)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Unrestrained by convention or morality
Synonyms:
debauched; degenerate; degraded; dissipated; dissolute; fast; libertine; profligate; riotous
Context example:
fast women
Similar:
immoral (deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Hurried and brief
Synonyms:
Context example:
a fast visit
Similar:
hurried (moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste)
Derivation:
fastness (a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Securely fixed in place
Synonyms:
Context example:
the post was still firm after being hit by the car
Similar:
fixed (securely placed or fastened or set)
Derivation:
fastness (the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause
Synonyms:
fast; firm; loyal; truehearted
Context example:
fast friends
Similar:
faithful (steadfast in affection or allegiance)
Sense 10
Meaning:
(of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of exposure time
Context example:
a fast lens
Similar:
causative (producing an effect)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it fasts Past simple: fasted
Past participle: fasted
-ing form: fasting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Context example:
Catholics sometimes fast during Lent
Hypernyms (to "fast" is one way to...):
abstain; desist; refrain (choose not to consume)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fast"):
diet (follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Derivation:
fast; fasting (abstaining from food)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Abstain from eating
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Context example:
Before the medical exam, you must fast
Hypernyms (to "fast" is one way to...):
abstain; desist; refrain (choose not to consume)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fast"):
diet (eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Derivation:
fast; fasting (abstaining from food)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
Context example:
fast-opening (or fast-closing) shutters
Sense 2
Meaning:
Firmly or closely
Synonyms:
fast; tight
Context example:
held tight
Context examples
The neighborhood was growing up fast.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
Finding it was likely to overblow, we took in our sprit-sail, and stood by to hand the fore-sail; but making foul weather, we looked the guns were all fast, and handed the mizen.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
When I got him into his box, from which he had slipped, I was off as fast as I could run.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
It is probably speeding on its way thither at the present instant as fast as steam can take it.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Things will happen fast in December, so it will be important to know your own mind.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
As soon as they heard her orders they ran away in every direction as fast as possible.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down into the fire.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Then she raised her head proudly, and held out one hand to Van Helsing who took it in his, and, after stooping and kissing it reverently, held it fast.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
The Martinez was sinking fast, for the water was very near.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
“How fast you walk!” said he.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
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