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- Dictionaryfast/fɑːst/
adjective
- 1. moving or capable of moving at high speed: "a fast and powerful car" Similar speedyquickswiftrapidbrisknimblesprightlylivelyfast-movinghigh-speedturbosportyacceleratedexpressflyingwhirlwindblisteringbreakneckpell-mellmeteoricsmarthastyhurriedunhesitatingexpeditiousfleet-footedinformal:nippyzippyspankingscorchingblindingsupersoniccrackingliterary:fleetrare:tantivyalacritousvolantOpposite slow
- ▪ taking place at high speed; taking a short time: "the journey was fast and enjoyable" Similar speedyquickswiftrapidbrisknimblesprightlylivelyfast-movinghigh-speedturbosportyacceleratedexpressflyingwhirlwindblisteringbreakneckpell-mellmeteoricsmarthastyhurriedunhesitatingexpeditiousfleet-footedinformal:nippyzippyspankingscorchingblindingsupersoniccrackingliterary:fleetrare:tantivyalacritousvolantOpposite slow
- ▪ performing or able to perform a particular action quickly: "a fast reader"
- ▪ (of a surface) allowing or producing high-speed movement: "a wide, fast road"
- ▪ (of a sports field) likely to make the ball bounce or run quickly or to allow competitors to reach a high speed.
- 2. (of a clock or watch) showing a time ahead of the correct time: "I keep my watch fifteen minutes fast"
- 3. firmly fixed or attached: "he made a rope fast to each corner" Similar securesecuredfastenedtightfirmly fixedstuckjammedimmovableunbudgeablestiffclosedshuttoOpposite loose
- ▪ (of friends) close and loyal: "they remained fast friends" Similar loyaldevotedfaithfulfirmsteadfaststaunchtrueboonbosominseparableconstantlastingunchangingunwaveringenduringunswervinginformal:as thick as thieves
- 4. (of a film) needing only a short exposure: "a 35-mm colour film which is ten times faster than Kodacolor II"
- ▪ (of a lens) having a large aperture and therefore suitable for use with short exposure times.
- 5. (of a dye) not fading in light or when washed: "the dyes are boiled with the yarn to produce a fast colour" Similar indeliblelastingpermanentstableOpposite temporary
- 6. engaging in or involving activities characterized by excitement, extravagance, and risk-taking: "the fast life she led in London" Similar wilddissipateddissolutedebauchedintemperateimmoderateloucherakishdecadentunrestrainedrecklessprofligateself-indulgentshamelesssinfulimmoralextravagantinformal:swingingOpposite sedate
- 7. (of a person) prone to act in an unacceptably familiar way: West Indian "Mammy said, ‘Stop asking questions, you too damn farse.’"
adverb
- 1. at high speed: "he was driving too fast" Similar quicklyrapidlyswiftlyspeedilybrisklyat speedat full speedat full tiltenergeticallyhastilywith all hastein hastehurriedlyin a hurrypost-hastepell-mellwithout delayexpeditiouslywith dispatchlike a shotlike a flashin a flashin the blink of an eyein a winkin a tricein no time (at all)on the doubleat the speed of lightlike an arrow from a bowinformal:double quickin double quick timep.d.q. (pretty damn quick)nippilylike (greased) lightningat warp speedhell for leatherlike madlike crazylike the windlike a bomblike nobody's businesslike a scalded catlike the deucea mile a minutelike a bat out of hellat warp speedlike the clappersat a rate of knotslike billy-olickety-splitliterary:apaceOpposite slowly
- ▪ within a short time: "we're going to have to get to the bottom of this fast"
- 2. so as to be hard to move; securely: "the ship was held fast by the anchor chain" Similar securelytightlyimmovablyfixedlyfirmly
- 3. so as to be hard to wake: "they were too fast asleep to reply" Similar deeplysoundcompletely
Word Origin Old Englishfæst ‘firmly fixed, steadfast’ and fæste ‘firmly’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vast and German fest ‘firm, solid’ and fast ‘almost’. In Middle English the adverb developed the senses ‘strongly, vigorously’ (compare with run hard), and ‘close, immediate’ (just surviving in the archaic fast by; compare with hard by), hence ‘closely, immediately’ and ‘quickly’; the idea of rapid movement was then reflected in adjectival use.
Scrabble Points: 7
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