fast

fast ¹  (fst)

adj. fast·er, fast·est

1. Acting, moving, or capable of acting or moving quickly; swift.

2.

a. Accomplished in relatively little time: a fast visit.

b. Acquired quickly with little effort and sometimes unscrupulously: made a fast buck scalping tickets.

3. Quick to understand or learn; mentally agile: a class for the faster students.

4. Indicating a time somewhat ahead of the actual time: The clock is fast.

5. Allowing rapid movement or action: a fast running track.

6. Designed for or compatible with a short exposure time: fast film.

7.

a. Disposed to dissipation; wild: ran with a fast crowd.

b. Flouting conventional moral standards; sexually promiscuous.

8. Resistant, as to destruction or fading: fast colors.

9. Firmly fixed or fastened: a fast grip.

10. Fixed firmly in place; secure: shutters that are fast against the rain.

11. Firm in loyalty: fast friends.

12. Lasting; permanent: fast rules and regulations.

13. Deep; sound: in a fast sleep.

adv. faster, fastest

1. In a secure manner; tightly: hold fast.

2. To a sound degree; deeply: fast asleep.

3. In a rapid manner; quickly.

4. In quick succession: New ideas followed fast.

5. Ahead of the correct or expected time: a watch that runs fast.

6. In a dissipated, immoderate way: living fast.

7. Archaic Close by; near.

---

[Middle English, from Old English fæst, firm, fixed; see past- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: fast¹, rapid, swift, fleet², speedy, quick, hasty, expeditious
These adjectives refer to something marked by great speed. Fast and rapid are often used interchangeably, though fast is more often applied to the person or thing in motion, and rapid, to the activity or movement involved: a fast runner; rapid strides.
Swift suggests smoothness and sureness of movement (a swift current), and fleet, lightness of movement (The cheetah is the fleetest of animals). Speedy refers to velocity (a speedy train) or to promptness or hurry (a speedy resolution to the problem). Quick most often applies to what takes little time or to what is prompt: a quick snack; your quick reaction.
Hasty implies hurried action (a hasty visit) and often a lack of care or thought (regretted the hasty decision). Expeditious suggests rapid efficiency: sent the package by the most expeditious means. See Also Synonyms at faithful.

---

fast ¹

Adjective

1. acting or moving quickly

2. accomplished in or lasting a short time

3. adapted to or allowing for rapid movement: the fast lane

4. (of a clock or watch) indicating a time in advance of the correct time

5. given to a life of expensive and exciting activities: the desire for a fast life

6. firmly fixed, fastened, or shut

7. (of colours and dyes) not likely to fade

8. Photog very sensitive and able to be used in low-light conditions

9. fast friends devoted and loyal friends

10. pull a fast one Informal play an unscrupulous trick

Adverb

1. quickly

2. fast asleep in a deep sleep

3. firmly and tightly: stuck fast

4. play fast and loose to behave in an insincere or unreliable manner [Old English fæst strong, tight]

---

fast ²

Verb

to go without food for a period of time, esp. for religious reasons

Noun

a period of fasting [Old English fæstan]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	fast - abstaining from food fasting abstinence - act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite dieting, diet - 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
Verb	1.	fast - abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons; "Catholics sometimes fast during Lent" diet - follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons; "He has high blood pressure and must stick to a low-salt diet" desist, refrain, abstain - choose not to consume; "I abstain from alcohol"
	2.	fast - abstain from eating; "Before the medical exam, you must fast" diet - eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight desist, refrain, abstain - choose not to consume; "I abstain from alcohol"
Adj.	1.	fast - acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; "fast film"; "on the fast track in school"; "set a fast pace"; "a fast car" sudden - happening without warning or in a short space of time; "a sudden storm"; "a sudden decision"; "a sudden cure" hurried - moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste; "a hurried trip to the store"; "the hurried life of a city"; "a hurried job" slow - not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time; "a slow walker"; "the slow lane of traffic"; "her steps were slow"; "he was slow in reacting to the news"; "slow but steady growth"
	2.	fast - (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time; "my watch is fast" slow - (used of timepieces) indicating a time earlier than the correct time; "the clock is slow"
	3.	fast - at a rapid tempo; "the band played a fast fox trot" music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner slow - at a slow tempo; "the band played a slow waltz"
	4.	fast - (of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds; "a fast road"; "grass courts are faster than clay" smooth - having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities; "smooth skin"; "a smooth tabletop"; "smooth fabric"; "a smooth road"; "water as smooth as a mirror"
	5.	fast - resistant to destruction or fading; "fast colors" imperviable, impervious - not admitting of passage or capable of being affected; "a material impervious to water"; "someone impervious to argument"
	6.	fast - unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated and degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" debauched, degenerate, degraded, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, profligate, riotous immoral - deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong
	7.	fast - hurried and brief; "paid a flying visit"; "took a flying glance at the book"; "a quick inspection"; "a fast visit" flying, quick hurried - moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste; "a hurried trip to the store"; "the hurried life of a city"; "a hurried job"
	8.	fast - securely fixed in place; "the post was still firm after being hit by the car" immobile, firm fixed - securely placed or fastened or set; "a fixed piece of wood"; "a fixed resistor"
	9.	fast - unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm ally"; "loyal supporters"; "the true-hearted soldier...of Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; "fast friends" truehearted, loyal, firm faithful - steadfast in affection or allegiance; "years of faithful service"; "faithful employees"; "we do not doubt that England has a faithful patriot in the Lord Chancellor"
	10.	fast - (of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of exposure time; "a fast lens" causative - producing an effect; "poverty as a causative factor in crime"
Adv.	1.	fast - quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form); "how fast can he get here?"; "ran as fast as he could"; "needs medical help fast"; "fast-running rivers"; "fast-breaking news"; "fast-opening (or fast-closing) shutters"
	2.	fast - firmly or closely; "held fast to the rope"; "her foot was stuck fast"; "held tight" tight

---

fast ¹

adjective 1. quick, flying, winged, rapid, fleet, hurried, accelerated, swift, speedy, brisk, hasty, nimble, mercurial, sprightly, nippy Brit. (informal) << OPPOSITE slow

adjective 2. fixed, firm, sound, stuck, secure, tight, jammed, fortified, fastened, impregnable, immovable << OPPOSITE unstable

adjective 3. dissipated, wild, exciting, loose, extravagant, reckless, immoral, promiscuous, giddy, self-indulgent, wanton, profligate, impure, intemperate, dissolute, rakish, licentious, gadabout (informal)

adjective 4. close, lasting, firm, permanent, constant, devoted, loyal, faithful, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, unwavering

adverb 5. quickly, rapidly, swiftly, hastily, hurriedly, speedily, presto, apace, in haste, like a shot (informal) at full speed, hell for leather (informal) like lightning, hotfoot, like a flash, at a rate of knots, like the clappers Brit. (informal) like a bat out of hell (slang) pdq (slang) like nobody's business (informal) posthaste, like greased lightning (informal) with all haste << OPPOSITE slowly

adverb 6. firmly, staunchly, resolutely, steadfastly, determinedly, unwaveringly, unchangeably

adverb 7. securely, firmly, tightly, fixedly

adverb 8. fixedly, firmly, soundly, deeply, securely, tightly

adverb 9. recklessly, wildly, loosely, extravagantly, promiscuously, rakishly, intemperately

---

fast ²

verb 1. go hungry, abstain, go without food, deny yourself, practise abstention, refrain from food or eating

noun 2. fasting, diet, abstinence

Translations

fast [fɑːst] adj (also PHOT) [film] → rápido; [dye, colour] → sólido; [clock]: to be fast → estar adelantado

adv → rápidamente, de prisa; [stuck, held] → firmemente

n → ayuno

vi → ayunar;

fast asleep → profundamente dormido;

in the fast lane (AUT) → en el carril de adelantamiento;

my watch is 5 minutes fast → mi reloj está adelantado 5 minutos;

as fast as I etc can → lo más rápido posible;

to make a boat fast → amarrar una barca

---

fast [fɑːst] adj → rapide; [clock];

to be fast → avancer; [dye, colour] → grand or bon teint inv adv → vite, rapidement; [stuck, held] → solidement

n → jeûne m

vi → jeûner;

my watch is 5 minutes fast → ma montre avance de 5 minutes;

fast asleep → profondément endormi;

as fast as I can → aussi vite que je peux;

to make a boat fast (Brit) → amarrer un bateau

---

fast [fɑːst] adj → schnell;

(dye, colour) → farbecht

adv → schnell;

(stuck, held) → fest

n → Fasten nt;

(period of fasting) → Fastenzeit f

vi → fasten;

my watch is (5 minutes) fast → meine Uhr geht (5 Minuten) vor;

to be fast asleep → tief or fest schlafen;

as fast as I can → so schnell ich kann;

to make a boat fast (Brit) → ein Boot festmachen

---

fast [fɑːst] adj → rapido/a, svelto/a, veloce; [clock]: to be fast → andare avanti; [dye, colour] → solido/a

adv → rapidamente; [stuck, held] → saldamente

n → digiuno

vi → digiunare;

fast asleep → profondamente addormentato;

as fast as I can → più in fretta possibile;

my watch is 5 minutes fast → il mio orologio va avanti di 5 minuti;

to make a boat fast (BRIT) → ormeggiare una barca