American Dictionary of the English Language

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Fast


F'AST, adjective

1. Literally, set, stopped, fixed, or pressed close. Hence, close; tight; as, make fast the door; take fast hold.

2. Firm; immovable.

Who by his strength, setteth fast the mountains. Psalms 115:1.

3. Close; strong.

Robbers and outlaws - lurking in woods and fast places.

4. Firmly fixed; closely adhering; as, to stick fast in more; to make fast a rope.

5. Close, as sleep; deep; sound; as a fast sleep.

6. Firm in adherence; as a fast friend.

Fast and loose, variable; inconstant; as, to play fast and loose.

F'AST, adverb Firmly; immovably.

We will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hand. Judges 15:13.

F'AST, adjective [Latin festino. The sense is to press, drive, urge, and it may be from the same root as the preceding word, with a different application.]

Swift; moving rapidly; quick in motion; as a fast horse.

F'AST, adverb Swiftly; rapidly; with quick steps or progression; as, to run fast; to move fast through the water, as a ship; the work goes on fast

F'AST, verb intransitive

1. To abstain from food, beyond the usual time; to omit to take the usual meals, for a time; as, to fast a day or a week.

2. To abstain from food voluntarily, for the mortification of the body or appetites, or as a token of grief, sorrow and affliction.

Thou didst fast and weep for the child. 2 Samuel 12:21.

When ye fast be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. Matthew 6:16.

3. To abstain from food partially, or from particular kinds of food; as, the Catholics fast in Lent.

F'AST, noun

1. Abstinence from food; properly a total abstinence, but it is used also for an abstinence from particular kinds of food, for a certain time.

Happy were our forefathers, who broke their fasts with herbs.

2. Voluntary abstinence from food, as a religious mortification or humiliation; either total or partial abstinence from customary food, with a view to mortify the appetites, or to express grief and affliction on account of some calamity, or to deprecate an expected evil.

3. The time of fasting, whether a day, week or longer time. An annual fast is kept in New England, usually one day in the spring.

The fast was now already past. Acts 27:9.

F'AST, noun That which fastens or holds.