Webster's English Dictionary

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fast

1. fast \'fast\ aj [ME, fr. OE fst; akin to OHG festi firm, ON fastr, 
   A]rm hast 1a: firmly fixed  1b: tightly shut  1c: adhering firmly  1d: not 
   easily freed : STUCK  1e: closely bound to something  1f: STABLE  1g: 
   UNCHANGEABLE {hard and ~ rules}  2: firmly loyal : STAUNCH  obs  3: 
   COMPACT, DENSE  4a: characterized by quick motion, operation, or effect :  
   4a1: moving or able to move rapidly : SWIFT  4a2: taking a comparatively 
   short time  4a3: imparting quickness of motion {a ~ bowler}  4a4: 
   accomplished quickly  4a5: agile of mind  4b: conducive to rapidity of play 
   or action {a ~ track}  of a timepiece or weighing device  4c1: indicating 
   in advance of what is correct  4c2: according to daylight saving time  4d: 
   contributing to a shortening of exposure time {~ lens}  5a: securely 
   attached  5b: TENACIOUS  archaic  6a: sound asleep  of sleep  6b: not 
   easily disturbed  7a: permanently dyed  7b: proof against fading by a 
   particular agency {sunfast}  8a: DISSIPATED  8b: daringly unconventional 
   esp. in sexual matters  9: resistant to change and esp. to destructive 
   action {acid-fast b acteria}MHASTY, EXPEDITIOUS: FAST and RAPID are very 
   close in meaning, but FAST applies particularly to the thing that moves 
   {fast horse} RAPID to the movement itself {rapid current} SWIFT suggests 
   great rapidity coupled with ease of movement; FLEET adds the implication of 
   lightness and nimbleness; QUICK suggests promptness and the taking of 
   little time; SPEEDY implies quickness or successful accomplishment; it may 
   also suggest unusual velocity; HASTY suggests hurry and precipitousness and 
   often connotes carelessness; EXPEDITIOUS suggests efficiency together with 
   rapidity of accomplishment SYN syn RAPID, SWIFT, FLEET, QUICK, SPEEDY, 
2. fast av 1: in a firm or fixed manner  2: QUICKLY, RAPIDLY  3: 
   RECKLESSLY, DISSIPATEDLY  4: ahead of a correct time or posted schedule  
   archaic  5: CLOSE, NEAR 
3. fast vi [ME fasten, fr. OE fstan] 1: to abstain from food  2: to 
   eat sparingly or abstain from some foods 
4. fast n 1: the practice of fasting  2: a time of fasting 
5. fast n [alter. of ME fest, fr. ON festr rope, mooring cable, fr. fastr)X 
   firm : something that fastens or holds a fastening : as  : a mooring rope 
   or cable  : a mooring post for hawsers