fast

[ fast, fahst ]

/ fæst, fɑst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fast ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to abstain from all food.

to eat only sparingly or of certain kinds of food, especially as a religious observance.

verb (used with object)

to cause to abstain entirely from or limit food; put on a fast: to fast a patient for a day before surgery.

noun

an abstinence from food, or a limiting of one's food, especially when voluntary and as a religious observance; fasting.

a day or period of fasting.

Origin of fast

before 1000; Middle English fasten, Old English fæstan; cognate with German fasten, Gothic fastan, Old Norse fasta

OTHER WORDS FROM fast

un·fast·ing, adjective

Words nearby fast

fashiony, fashoda, fasnacht, fassa, fassbinder, fast, fast and furious, fast and loose, fast break, fast buck, fast casual

Example sentences from the Web for fasting

Now, it is the most traditional and celebrated Christmas cake in Germany—and definitely not associated with fasting.

One Cake to Rule Them All: How Stollen Stole Our Hearts |Molly Hannon |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Like Lent, the season of Advent was a period of reflection and fasting, and items such as dairy and sugar were forbidden.

One Cake to Rule Them All: How Stollen Stole Our Hearts |Molly Hannon |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And saints are a pretty svelte bunch, what with all the fasting and suffering.

Keep Christmas Commercialized! |P. J. O’Rourke |December 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Since this hearing was taking place during Ramadan, many of the Muslims had been fasting since sunrise.

When Bigotry Comes to Your Hometown |Dean Obeidallah |July 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

This jives with his previous research that fasting can weaken cancer in mice.

Fasting Might Regenerate Human Immune System |Gregory Ferenstein |June 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And when those two brothers had arrived there, they began a course of fasting and asceticism to propitiate her.

The Kath Sarit Sgara |Somadeva Bhatta
On Good Friday the Vaudois observed the day according to the usage of their church, by fasting and humiliation.

The Vaudois of Piedmont |John Napper Worsfold
Herodotus says that the Egyptians prepared themselves by fasting for the celebration of the great festival of Isis.

The New Gresham Encyclopedia |Various
But always it is a debt which necessitates a loan, the payment of interest, economy, and fasting.

What is Property? |P. J. Proudhon
Before that memorable evening I purified my heart by fasting and prayer.

Cord and Creese |James de Mille

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (1 of 2)

fast ¹

/ (fɑːst) /

adjective

acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; swift

accomplished in or lasting a short time fast work; a fast visit

(prenominal) adapted to or facilitating rapid movement the fast lane of a motorway

requiring rapidity of action or movement a fast sport

(of a clock, etc) indicating a time in advance of the correct time

given to an active dissipated life

of or characteristic of such activity a fast life

not easily moved; firmly fixed; secure

firmly fastened, secured, or shut

steadfast; constant (esp in the phrase fast friends)

sport (of a playing surface, running track, etc) conducive to rapid speed, as of a ball used on it or of competitors playing or racing on it

that will not fade or change colour readily a fast dye

proof against fadingthe colour is fast to sunlight
(in combination)washfast

photog

requiring a relatively short time of exposure to produce a given densitya fast film
permitting a short exposure timea fast shutter

cricket (of a bowler) characteristically delivering the ball rapidly

informal glib or unreliable; deceptive a fast talker

archaic sound; deep a fast sleep

informal a deceptive or unscrupulous trick (esp in the phrase pull a fast one)

fast worker a person who achieves results quickly, esp in seductions

adverb

quickly; rapidly

soundly; deeply fast asleep

firmly; tightly

in quick succession

in advance of the correct time my watch is running fast

in a reckless or dissipated way

fast by or fast beside archaic close or hard by; very near

play fast and loose informal to behave in an insincere or unreliable manner

interjection

archery (said by the field captain to archers) stop shooting!

Word Origin for fast

Old English fæst strong, tight; related to Old High German festi firm, Old Norse fastr

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (2 of 2)

fast ²

/ (fɑːst) /

verb

(intr) to abstain from eating all or certain foods or meals, esp as a religious observance

noun

an act or period of fasting
(as modifier)a fast day

Derived forms of fast

faster, noun

Word Origin for fast

Old English fæstan; related to Old High German fastēn to fast, Gothic fastan

Idioms and Phrases with fasting

fast

In addition to the idioms beginning with fast

fast and furious
fast and loose
fast buck
fast lane
fast track

also see:

get nowhere (fast)
hard and fast
pull a fast one
stand one's ground (fast)
thick and fast

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fast

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of fast

OTHER WORDS FROM fast

Words nearby fast

Example sentences from the Web for fasting

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (1 of 2)

adjective

adverb

interjection

Word Origin for fast

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of fast

Word Origin for fast

Idioms and Phrases with fasting

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fast

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of fast

OTHER WORDS FROM fast

Words nearby fast

Words related to fasting

Example sentences from the Web for fasting

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for fasting (1 of 2)

adjective

adverb

interjection

Word Origin for fast

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of fast

Word Origin for fast

Idioms and Phrases with fasting

British Dictionary definitions for fasting (1 of 2)