fast

fast
\ \ [OE] Widely dissimilar as they now seem, fastquick’ and fastabstain from food’ in fact come from the same ultimate source. This was Germanic *fastuz, which denoted ‘firm’. That underlying sense persists in various contexts, such as ‘hold fast’ and ‘fast friend’. The verbal application to ‘eating no food’ originated in the notion of ‘holding fast to a particular observance’ – specifically, abstinence from food. The use of fast for ‘quick’ is a much later development, dating from the 13th century. It probably comes from a perception of fastfirm’ containing an underlying connotation of ‘extremity’ or ‘severity’.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Fast — Fast, a. [Compar. {Faster}; superl. {Fastest}.] [OE., firm, strong, not loose, AS. f[ae]st; akin to OS. fast, D. vast, OHG. fasti, festi, G. fest, Icel. fastr, Sw. & Dan. fast, and perh. to E. fetter. The sense swift comes from the idea of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fast — fast1 [fast, fäst] adj. [ME < OE fæst, akin to Ger fest, firm, stable < IE base * pasto , fixed, secure > Arm hast] 1. not easily moved, freed, or separated; firm, fixed, or stuck [the ship was fast on the rocks] 2. firmly fastened or… …   English World dictionary

  • Fast — Fast, adv. welches in zwey einander ziemlich entgegen gesetzten Bedeutungen gefunden wird. 1) * Für sehr, in welchem Verstande schon vaste bey dem Stryker vorkommt. Sie war fast schön, 1 Mos. 12, 14. Ihre Sünden sind fast schwer, Kap. 18, 20. Ein …   Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart

  • Fast — als Abkürzung steht für: First Assistance Samaritian Team, ein Auslandshilfe Team des Arbeiter Samariter Bundes e.V. Fast AQM Scalable TCP, ein Protokoll in der Informatik Fast Search and Transfer, eine norwegische Firma für… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • FAST — als Abkürzung steht für: Fabbrica Automobili Sport Torino, einen von 1919 bis 1925 bestehenden italienischen Automobilproduzenten FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) einen Test zur Erkennung eines Schlaganfalls First Assistance Samaritian Team, ein… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fast — Fast, adv. [OE. faste firmly, strongly, quickly, AS. f[ae]ste. See {Fast}, a.] 1. In a fast, fixed, or firmly established manner; fixedly; firmly; immovably. [1913 Webster] We will bind thee fast. Judg. xv. 13. [1913 Webster] 2. In a fast or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fast by — Fast Fast, adv. [OE. faste firmly, strongly, quickly, AS. f[ae]ste. See {Fast}, a.] 1. In a fast, fixed, or firmly established manner; fixedly; firmly; immovably. [1913 Webster] We will bind thee fast. Judg. xv. 13. [1913 Webster] 2. In a fast or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • FAST — Automated Screen Trading a computerised trading system used for commodity derivatives on LIFFE. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein financial glossary Fast Market London Stock Exchange Glossary * * * ▪ I. fast fast 1 [fɑːst ǁ fæst] adverb …   Financial and business terms

  • FAST — may refer to: * Fasting, abstaining from food * Nacional Fast Clube, a Brazilian football club * A speed racing for dirt horse racetracks * Fast Search Transfer, a Norwegian company focusing on data search technologies * Fast Auroral Snapshot… …   Wikipedia

  • Fast — • Abstinence from food or drink Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Fast     Fast     † Catholic …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Fast — Fast, n. [OE. faste, fast; cf. AS. f[ae]sten, OHG. fasta, G. faste. See {Fast}, v. i.] 1. Abstinence from food; omission to take nourishment. [1913 Webster] Surfeit is the father of much fast. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Voluntary abstinence from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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