FASTNESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fastness mean? 

• FASTNESS (noun)
  The noun FASTNESS has 3 senses:

1. a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens

2. the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment

3. a strongly fortified defensive structure

  Familiarity information: FASTNESS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FASTNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A rate (usually rapid) at which something happens

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

fastness; speed; swiftness

Context example:

the project advanced with gratifying speed

Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):

pace; rate (the relative speed of progress or change)

Attribute:

fast (acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly)

slow (not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):

haste; hastiness; hurriedness; hurry; precipitation (overly eager speed (and possible carelessness))

execution speed ((computer science) the speed with which a computational device can execute instructions; measured in MIPS)

graduality; gradualness (the quality of being gradual or of coming about by gradual stages)

Derivation:

fast (acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly)

fast (at a rapid tempo)

fast (hurried and brief)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

fastness; fixedness; fixity; fixture; secureness

Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):

immovability; immovableness (not capable of being moved or rearranged)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):

lodgement; lodging; lodgment (the state or quality of being lodged or fixed even temporarily)

Derivation:

fast (securely fixed in place)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A strongly fortified defensive structure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

fastness; stronghold

Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):

defence; defense; defensive structure (a structure used to defend against attack)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):

bastion; citadel (a stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle)

blockhouse (a stronghold that is reinforced for protection from enemy fire; with apertures for defensive fire)

hold (a stronghold)

donjon; dungeon; keep (the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress)

redoubt (an entrenched stronghold or refuge)

 Context examples 

Once in the fastnesses they promised, and the two men could defy Wolf Larsen.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

To the west was a great valley, and then, rising far away, great jagged mountain fastnesses, rising peak on peak, the sheer rock studded with mountain ash and thorn, whose roots clung in cracks and crevices and crannies of the stone.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)