| 释义 |
adjective fɑːstfæst 1Moving or capable of moving at high speed. Example sentencesExamples - The big key to Daytona is making sure you have a fast car that is capable of getting out front and staying there.
- Another fast ship of those times was the American Clipper the Flying Cloud.
- One of the fastest planes in the air is set to resume service on the London to New York route in the near future.
- The competitors were doing 29 miles per hour for the first hour, an incredibly fast pace.
- Alexis ignored the question and continued walking at a slightly faster pace.
- She pulled me onto the dance floor and I surprisingly had a lot of fun moving to the fast beat of the music.
- But do they emit overt commercial messages that fast and possibly irresponsible driving is a good thing?
- He is the fastest horse I've ever had, and it was because of his speed that we kept him away from the others in the early stages.
- However, it lacks power over 60 mph and up hills so you have to perform some fast gearchanges.
- I got an Estonian passport stamp, courtesy of a short trip across the water from Finland on a very fast catamaran.
- Jamie was into speed, he liked fast cars and the adrenaline rush of living life on the edge.
- A little speed will take care of that, letting you zip around and fight at an incredibly fast pace.
- Typical rotating frame experiments are performed in the fast exchange limit.
- This bird is the world's fastest animal at 220 miles per hour.
- Focused on fast ships capable of 31 knots, this has put the wind up rivals, few of which have the resources to match this kind of investment.
- What You Waiting For is the benchmark for the album, immediately enjoyable with its fast lyrics and catchy melody.
- Am I just different to the norm since I have never been a great lover of watching fast cars speeding around a piece of tarmac for an hour and a half?
- More importantly, they're purposely kept brief to maintain the fast pace of the game.
- Most countries retain fleets of small, fast vessels for coastal patrol.
- Keep the defence tight, and when on offence, I want to see quick feet and fast passing.
Synonyms speedy, quick, swift, rapid - 1.1 Taking place at high speed; taking a short time.
the journey was fast and enjoyable Example sentencesExamples - Journalism is short-term and gratifying in a fast way, and inherently interactive.
- The journey was short and fast, but strangely uncomfortable.
- Some of them actually buy a number of drinks and consume them quickly to get a fast kick.
- I had the choice of a dingy subway leading south towards the delights of the town centre or a short walk to the railway station and a fast exit.
- Jason Bright set the fastest lap in today's afternoon practice session.
- They were saying the game is a lot faster than they thought it would be and you need a lot more endurance and speed.
- On the one hand they can offer perfectly crafted pieces of writing just right for fast and enjoyable consumption.
- Freeze your favorites at home to share with friends, and make fast meals a snap.
- It is a fast, snappy, moving show with short scenes and little time for scene changes during the blackouts.
- Their reputation for fairness has been tainted by unscrupulous firms out to make fast money.
- They want to charge fans with fast web connections to watch footage, but there are two massive obstacles in their way.
- Correct and fast reforms in this area would help the country fight corruption more efficiently.
- It was a game which exuded excellent, fast play with good passing, finishing and sporting behaviour.
- But when they are located, white bass can provide such fast and enjoyable fishing!
- On your return, toss it with hot, freshly cooked pasta, and you have a meal that is fast, light, fresh and colourful - and hot.
- Unfortunately, with the degree of complications, any hope of a fast resolution has faded.
- Trainer Mark Hampton says that the fights are very fast and aggressive, in a series of short two-minute rounds.
- On the one hand, everything has to be very fast and superficial - a sound bite that you can grab in a second.
- Scanning is fast and can be performed in the background so you can carry on working.
- It provides fast and secure individual and group conference communication and transmits packed data and visuals.
Synonyms speedy, quick, swift, rapid - 1.2 Performing or able to perform a particular action quickly.
Example sentencesExamples - But this is a very fast printer able to cope with heavy workloads.
- I'm a fast learner, or they are fast teachers, but it's damn cool.
- Even for a fast learner, though, four months is an awfully short time to cram.
- A predator in every sense of the term, he was a giant among fast bowlers.
- Yorkshire are waiting for a fitness report which will reveal if the fast bowler will be able to play tomorrow.
- I'm a strong, fast walker who has to make a deliberate effort to slow down when in company.
- The band feature two capable and incredibly fast guitarists.
- He was a fast learner, able to look back at his own mistakes and improve.
- Far be it from me to say that this was a bad exam, suffice to say it was an exam in which fast writers were rewarded, at the expense of those without bionic hands.
- Tillman is best in press coverage; his tight hips hinder him when he has to play off fast receivers.
- Unless you're a fast reader who can keep a clear head, there's a good chance the narrative will speed off and leave you behind.
- To make such bold statements about any fast bowler is brave verging on foolhardy.
- He claims not to be a fast writer, just someone who responds well to pressure.
- 1.3 (of a surface) allowing or producing high-speed movement.
Example sentencesExamples - Faint Heart was a costly failure at Galway, going down by a length to Right Key, but was all at sea on the fast surface then.
- He was always close to the lead, but could only stay on one-paced in the closing stages and may have found the surface on the fast side.
- It was a fast, flat course over two large adjacent areas joined by a steep bank.
- He did well to finish on the predominantly flat fast course to finish in the top 70.
- The first mistake was to choose indoor carpet, a fast surface, that suited Leander's serve and volley game.
- This track is very demanding for drivers with fast corners and it's enjoyable to drive here.
- Further than that, the Bught Park is traditionally a fast surface, an ideal venue for the sharp stick work both sets of forwards favour.
- A good 10 km to blast away the cobwebs is an excellent idea and this is a fast course where personal bests are quite possible.
- He's another who handles a fast surface and a repeat of his creditable second to Lord Of The Turf at Galway will see him land this.
- Quarterback Kurt Warner will take advantage of the fast surface and the speed of his receivers.
- The final section from the Bolt Shelter to the road is fast, flat, and fun.
- The Brisbane pitch is fast and bouncy so I think we may just lose the first Test match.
- This 2 mile road course is very fast and tricky.
- Our fastest roads (our motorways) are also our safest.
- The Gonubie course is fast, but also requires strength, both of a physical and mental nature.
- The King George VI Chase at Kempton could be next for the horse if the ground was to come up on the fast side and rule out Best Mate.
- He got off the mark over fences at Kilbeggan, beating Lantern Leader four and a half lengths, and will revel in the fast surface.
- He was promoted to the BP-Ford squad for his experience and knowledge of the dauntingly fast Finnish roads.
- And as the sun continues to shine, so do the hopes of Inn At The Top - who favours the firm, fast ground.
- It's not a high-speed circuit, there are not many fast corners.
- But on a lightening fast surface, the British No.2 was always likely to be a troublesome competitor.
- 1.4 (of a sports field) likely to make the ball bounce or run quickly or to allow competitors to reach a high speed.
Example sentencesExamples - Both batsmen got in some early practice, taking advantage of friendly bowling from the PCA XI and a fast outfield.
- Its not a super fast track, but it is very technical with some great corners and elevation changes.
- The surface of the pitch was outstanding and the outfield was fast and true.
- Taking the fast outfield into consideration, fans could be in for a rather heavy-scoring game.
- I'm still missing a little speed, which you need on these fast indoor courts.
2predicative or as complement (of a clock or watch) showing a time ahead of the correct time. I keep my watch fifteen minutes fast Example sentencesExamples - The calendar is loaded, the meter is ticking and that damn clock has to be fast, doesn't it?
- Perhaps our watches were a little fast, or our internal clocks had been affected by the huge amount of alcohol in our systems.
- It's 2:30 by my watch (though my watch is a bit fast), and we're still in Portland.
- The alarm clock is an hour fast.
3Firmly fixed or attached. he made a rope fast to each corner Example sentencesExamples - Dockhands caught the lines and pulled the ship in and made it fast.
- We sent boats with ropes and hawsers to the rocks, wound a rope round a rock, made a hawser fast to the rope, and swung to it with a length of hawser.
Synonyms secure, secured, fastened, tight, firmly fixed stuck, jammed, immovable, unbudgeable, stiff closed, shut, to attach, fasten, secure, fix, affix, join, connect, couple, link, tie, tie up, bind, fetter, strap, rope, tether, truss, lash, hitch, moor, anchor, yoke, chain - 3.1 (of friends) close and loyal.
they remained fast friends Example sentencesExamples - They became fast friends and studied international marketing and languages together at Dublin City University.
- JJ and I had become fast friends, not as close as Dane and I were but close enough.
- I, too, was attracted to Steve's courage and charisma, and we became fast friends.
- Weeks had passed since that day and the two had become very fast friends.
- Over the years we have become fast friends, and my wife jokingly calls her my girlfriend.
- This is how I introduced my dog, Kye, to my cat, Johnny, and they became fast friends.
- Nathan decides not to write the book, but he and Coleman become fast friends.
- We became fast friends and I was the last man in England to speak to her on the day she died.
- Being that both of them were musicians and liked a lot of the same bands, Shamus and Chase had become fast friends.
- He became fast friends with Fred Gwynne, developing a chemistry that is obvious in The Munsters.
- The girls became fast friends during the trip - mostly due to their pranks on Kevin together.
- They fought the Soviets together and are fast friends.
- She became fast friends with Alicia, since she was closer in age than the rest of the sisters.
- Drew and Henry became fast friends and worked together throughout the morning.
- Alex got along with everyone he met, so there were no doubts in my mind they'd become fast friends.
- He has made a fast friend in the class, another little boy whom he adores.
- A year ago, the two were fast allies.
- After that moment they became fast friends, they got along so well, they spent much of each day with each other.
- The two men get to drinking, and then to talking, and it's not long before they've become fast friends.
- I even went round to his house to apologise. We've been fast friends ever since.
Synonyms loyal, devoted, faithful, firm, steadfast, staunch, true, boon, bosom, inseparable constant, lasting, unchanging, unwavering, enduring, unswerving informal as thick as thieves
4Photography
(of a film) needing only a short exposure. a 35-mm colour film which is ten times faster than Kodacolor II Example sentencesExamples - It's a good idea in any case to have a selection of slow, medium and fast film on hand at all times.
- This was big-time exposure country, and had I known in advance I would have brought my tripod and a stock of fast film!
- Again this is where you use the fast film and enlarge for the portrait.
- I used fast film, fast shutter speed, and zoomed in to fill the frame.
- For low light and fast shutter speeds you need a fast film and also a fast lens.
- 4.1 (of a lens) having a large aperture and therefore suitable for use with short exposure times.
Example sentencesExamples - Obviously you will want to use your fastest lens, let me know what it is and I will try to suggest a film for you to use.
- It should be lighter, with a fairly fast lens, and reasonable responsiveness and battery life.
- So depending on the lighting conditions you may need to use fast lenses and/or high speed film.
5(of a dye) not fading in light or when washed. the dyes are boiled with the yarn to produce a fast colour Example sentencesExamples - From the tubes, a not so fast dye is extracted for colouring silk.
- The setup had to be optimized for response times below microseconds by using a fast dye and by applying a fast fluorescence detector.
- All those shops selling these goods have to give consumers the assurance that they are fast colour, non-shrinkable and correct size.
Synonyms indelible, lasting, permanent, stable 6Engaging in or involving activities characterized by excitement, extranvagance, and risk-taking. the fast life she led in London Example sentencesExamples - The actor was as famous for his fast living, hard drinking, and acerbic wit as for his performances.
- Tom Adair examines the short life and fast times of an all - American great.
- Mumbai, on the other hand, was used to money and a fast lifestyle.
- A pair of red stilettos, maybe you like attention and things on the fast side.
- Reid is one such fellow, his name frequently prompting the response 'Who?', even from those of his compatriots with a passing interest in wheels and fast living.
- Lack of strong family bonds and fast lifestyle also contribute to this habit.
- In the beginning it was a hit with a young, fast crowd because of one of its owners, Karim Amatullah.
Synonyms wild, dissipated, dissolute, debauched, intemperate, immoderate, louche, rakish, decadent, unrestrained, reckless, profligate, self-indulgent, shameless, sinful, immoral, extravagant informal swinging 7West Indian (of a person) prone to act in an unacceptably familiar way. Mammy said, ‘Stop asking questions, you too damn farse.’
adverb fɑːstfæst 1At high speed. Example sentencesExamples - As a result, the systems built with dual-core processors can perform impressively fast.
- Responsible drivers know that driving very fast or recklessly will endanger their life and other people's.
- They shoveled the food into their mouths so fast it was like a speed eating contest.
- Some think it's fun to whizz over the speed hump and see how fast they can take off.
- I had to walk quite fast to keep up with him.
- As to the matter of how fast our speeding knight of the road was in fact travelling, various readers were keen to take us to task on the finer points of metric etiquette.
- At that point, the US share market had been growing extremely fast for several years.
- She says this all very fast and energetically like she has held it in there for so long, and needs to tell someone.
- You have to run really fast to get away from Lynette when she's on a make-up rampage.
- I stalled and swore, went too fast or too slow, but he was patient and spoke to me in soothing tones.
- Inherent in elevator performance is the speed and capacity of each elevator and how fast the doors open and close.
- Whoever was driving was driving so fast I couldn't see anything out the window.
- I wheeze at night and cough during workouts, but I am swimming fast.
- The way to achieve success in swimming is obviously to swim faster over a given distance.
- Tyler moved so swiftly and so fast he lived up to our team's name: The Black Panthers.
- The friendly council have opened a nice new road and it's so smooth you pick up quite a lot of speed before you realise how fast you are going.
- Ben was walking slightly faster now but still had trouble keeping up.
- I didn't think it was possible, but my heart began to beat even faster.
- My heart beating even faster, what was I supposed to do?
- She was then fired, allegedly because she did not type fast enough to keep with the creative discussions.
- Rod the sound engineer was advising me on speed (that's how fast you speak, not the drug), and on timing.
Synonyms quickly, rapidly, swiftly, speedily, briskly, at speed, at full speed, at full tilt energetically hastily, with all haste, in haste, hurriedly, in a hurry, post-haste, pell-mell without delay, expeditiously, with dispatch, like a shot, like a flash, in a flash, in the blink of an eye, in a wink, in a trice, in no time (at all), on the double, at the speed of light, like an arrow from a bow informal double quick, in double quick time, p.d.q. (pretty damn quick), nippily, like (greased) lightning, at warp speed, hell for leather, like mad, like crazy, like the wind, like a bomb, like nobody's business, like a scalded cat, like the deuce, a mile a minute, like a bat out of hell, at warp speed British informal like the clappers, at a rate of knots, like billy-o North American informal lickety-split literary apace - 1.1 Within a short time.
we're going to have to get to the bottom of this fast Example sentencesExamples - Everything happened really fast, there was a lot of people.
- The fuel crisis is the immediate cause, and whether that will run and run or fade away as fast as it blew up is for the moment hard to say.
- Passengers had to act fast to save their own lives.
- The news spread fast and the crowds became a crush within a few hours.
- You can specify which mouse button will open menus, how fast the mouse responds to double clicks and so forth.
- The schedule will also depend on how fast consumers will switch to 3G mobile services.
- These vehicles are also fast becoming a lifestyle choice, with enhanced styling adding to the popularity of the genre.
- They knew they had to act fast to save this young man's life.
- So, very fast the discussion moved into practical problems: who would be the best to do the job?
- Its been over a week since I got back from Tokyo, memories fade so fast!
- However, the burning sensation didn't fade quite fast enough.
- Now traditional Highland crofting is fast becoming the lifestyle of choice for stress-ridden city folk.
- Angel hit the ground and didn't recover fast enough to avoid a powerful kick to her ribs.
- Kids grow up so fast nowadays, don't they?
- Finding mechanisms that can react fast enough to prevent escalation could prove problematic.
- He spoke of his days in the school and how fast the fifteen years since he left had gone.
- We have acted fast to stop the harm but the problem has not gone away.
- Cecil felt things were just going a bit too fast for his liking.
- Yeah, she is acting like an idiot, but everything's happening really fast for her.
- A sign of the success of the megachurches in this country and elsewhere is that they are fast becoming mainstream.
2So as to be hard to move; securely. the ship was held fast by the anchor chain Example sentencesExamples - It's no use, the door's stuck fast!
- Like a sailing barque stuck fast in the Doldrums, I lurch slowly in the swell, holding my breath and waiting for a wind to fill the sails.
- Moses hid his face from the Lord, and though his eyes were shut fast, his ears were wide open.
- While she was there, aged 16, she watched whaling boats set out on the North Sea, and heard reports of one becoming stuck fast in the ice.
- Maybe you are like an idol to her to have her cling to you so fast.
- Mason tried to open the door, but it was locked fast.
- Nothing sticks so fast in the mind as a groundless sense of guilt, Kafka told his friend.
- Why is the anchor stuck so fast in the wreckage?
Synonyms securely, tightly, immovably, fixedly, firmly 3So as to be hard to wake. they were too fast asleep to reply Example sentencesExamples - Glancing in Ralph's room, she saw the old man fast asleep beneath his covers.
- A few days later, Chillingworth finds Dimmesdale fast asleep in a chair at midday.
- Looking down she saw little Callum fast asleep in her arms, resting his head on her chest.
- There in the middle was a solitary deck chair with the great man fast asleep and the cub wrapped in his arms.
- I looked around for a second and saw Jessica fast asleep on the couch.
- Sure enough when we looked in our room there were Chris and Brandon fast asleep.
- Amanda wandered back to the beach to find Nora fast asleep in the shade.
- I thought nothing of flopping onto the hotel bed and falling fast asleep.
- He was just sitting with his back to me while his brother was laying spread out on a couple of chairs fast asleep.
- He glanced over his shoulder to find Bill fast asleep at another computer.
- When she did awake, she discovered Jared fast asleep in his cot.
- Without the constant attention of family and friends, she can spend days fast asleep.
- Ruth sat at the back of the bus, with Dominic fast asleep on her shoulder.
- Arriving back at the apartment, she unlocked the door and found Kelly fast asleep, curled up on the couch.
- The woman lay fast asleep under a blanket on her bed, until the noise of the snoring outside stirred her.
- She wondered what had made her feel so safe when she looked over and saw Darien fast asleep in a chair next to the bed.
- In rooms across the hall my parents and my in-laws are no doubt fast asleep, tuckered out from days of good food and fresh air.
- By the time I returned, she was huddled under the blankets fast asleep.
- The buzzers would go off in the night and when the nurses came to see what was wrong they would find the patients fast asleep.
- He found the two encircled in one another's arms fast asleep.
Synonyms deeply, sound, completely
Phrases informal A person who makes rapid progress or achieves results quickly. Example sentencesExamples - A fast worker who relies on the defense rather than strikeouts, Baldwin is displaying superb control.
- Known as a fast worker, Al was quite capable of already having a woman in his room… but making a porno home video?
- A happy-go-lucky person, Dethan says that he has always been a fast worker.
- When he visited last year's Edinburgh Film Festival, Fresnadillo was beginning to turn his thoughts towards what he might do for an encore but admits he is anything but a fast worker.
he had been trying to pull a fast one on his producer Example sentencesExamples - She plays a petty shop owner in a village, whose idea of a joke is pulling a fast one on customers.
- To be honest, we thought he was trying to pull a fast one.
- Or were the prosecutors trying to pull a fast one?
- It tickles me that these folks think they are pulling a fast one on the Big Guy.
- But will customers think the fast food giant is pulling a fast one?
- It showed that management was just trying to pull a fast one.
- The woman they have been calling a political novice has just pulled a fast one on them.
- It's tough when a close pal pulls a fast one on you.
- Are people playing by the rules of the game or pulling a fast one?
- You aren't pulling a fast one on me, are you?
Synonyms outsmart, outwit, out-think, outmanoeuvre, outplay, be cleverer than, steal a march on, trick, gull, make a fool of, get the better of informal outfox, put one over on, run/make rings round dated outjockey
Origin Old English fæst '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. The two meanings of fast, ‘at high speed’ and ‘abstain from food’, are different words, both Old English. The first originally meant ‘firmly fixed in place’, a meaning surviving in such uses as ‘colour-fast’ and ‘make a rope fast’, and in its close relative fasten (Old English). Fast and loose was an old fairground gambling game in which the player put a finger into one of the two figure-of-eight loops of a twisted belt or rope so that it caught in a loop when the belt or rope was pulled away. If it was not held, or ‘fast’, the punter lost the money. The person organizing the game could easily make sure the loops always came free by twisting them in a particular way, which is where we get the expression play fast and loose, ‘behave irresponsibly or immorally’. Fast food has been eaten since the beginning of the 1950s in the USA. The first McDonald's restaurant opened there in 1940, but it was in 1948 that it was reorganized to offer a simple menu of speedily served burgers, fries, and drinks which has spread worldwide. The first UK restaurant was opened in 1974.
Rhymes aghast, avast, Belfast, blast, cast, caste, contrast, last, mast, miscast, outlast, past, unsurpassed, vast verb fɑːstfæst [no object]1Abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance. the ministry instructed people to fast Example sentencesExamples - Both groups fasted for fourteen hours before taking part in the experiment.
- It is a land where the faithful are summoned by drums, where the whole population fasts two days a week and where no-one smokes because the Church disapproves of the habit.
- Each group fasted for 14 hours prior to taking part in the study.
- Muslims prayed, fasted, and performed charitable acts from Oct 15 to Nov 14 for Ramadan.
- That's why the preferred way to test your blood sugar is to take a blood sample from a vein in your arm after you've fasted overnight or for at least eight hours.
- Prior to seeing a movie, the volunteers fasted overnight and were given a baseline blood vessel reactivity test to measure what is known as flow-mediated vasodilation.
- A set meal was given at lunch time after the supplement to subjects who had fasted overnight.
- The male fasts while incubating for 60 days till the female returns at hatching time.
- All subjects fasted for more than four hours before the study.
- Like every pious Muslim, he prays five times a day and fasts during Ramadan.
- The friars inhabited the cloister, sang the matins, fasted and prayed within the walls and lived their lives in Banada six centuries ago.
- So fasting in Lent or not eating meat on Fridays seems odd, even eccentric now.
- On inquiring, he learned that this man was fasting frequently to atone for his sins.
- Most nuns fasted to keep the rule: the anorexics fasted to break it.
- The term fasting glycemia refers to your blood sugar level after you've fasted overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Twenty years ago she started fasting regularly because she felt a spiritual need to do so.
- They smiled and said, of course they were hungry but did not mind because they were fasting for Allah.
- Smith and Henderson meditated and fasted for five days prior to the performance, which culminated in a Tantric ritual.
- Blood samples were taken after women had fasted for six hours.
- Three protesters fasted for three days and held a vigil outside the embassy.
Synonyms abstain from food, refrain from eating, deny oneself food, go without food, go hungry, eat nothing, starve oneself go on hunger strike - 1.1be fastedtechnical Be deprived of all or some kinds of food, especially for medical or experimental reasons.
all patients were fasted before surgery Example sentencesExamples - The animals were fasted for 24 hours before the intervention.
- Domestic country breed pigs of both sexes, weighing 22 to 26 kg, were fasted overnight with free access to water.
- Therefore, cats are more likely to suffer from toxicity and should never be completely fasted.
- Patients should be fasted, rehydrated with intravenous fluids, and given oxygen therapy and adequate analgesia.
- Ten male Sprague-Dawley breeder rats, weighing between 450 and 550 g, were fasted overnight, except for free access to water.
noun fɑːstfæst An act or period of fasting. Example sentencesExamples - And I will keep all the remaining fasts of the month of Ramazan.
- Those who are taking part in the fast will be collecting in Belmullet on St. Patrick's Day.
- Repeated juice fasts are recommended at intervals of every two months.
- The other day I asked one of my friends how his fast was going.
- As above, birds retained access to water throughout the duration of the fast.
- I know people that go on fasts for 30 days and work.
- At sunset, the conclusion of daily fasts, participating students were invited to share a delicious meal prepared by local Muslim restaurants.
- Adult polar bears lose approximately 0.85-0.9 kg of body mass per day during fasts.
- The sponsored fasts will take place between February 28 and March 1st.
- St. Thomas lived a life of austerity; his fasts, for instance, being in marked contrast to the luxury in which he might have lived if he chose.
- This criminal's regular fasts are little more than a sustained effort to bolster his profile.
- Diets are prescriptive, like convent fasts - so much of this, so little of that.
- In ancient times, fasts were traditional at the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and were believed to increase fertility.
- Mother, don't worry - sporadic fasts are very healthy.
- I had done fasts before, then I had built up weight.
- Juice or fruit fasts are common, restricting nutrient intake to only those specific food sources.
- Some of the fundraising events planned to help raise €17,000 include 24-hour fasts and an American tea party later in the year.
- On Christmas Day they can eat these things, but the rituals centre more on the last day of the fast on Christmas Eve, he says.
- A woman has died after several months on a hunger strike in protest against prison reforms, bringing the death toll from the fasts to 20.
- In Washington, a veteran of the demonstrations was in the midst of a fast that began on Tuesday.
Synonyms period of fasting, period of abstinence hunger strike diet
Origin Old English fæstan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vasten and German fasten, also to Old Norse fasta, the source of the noun. adjectivefastfæst 1Moving or capable of moving at high speed. Example sentencesExamples - The competitors were doing 29 miles per hour for the first hour, an incredibly fast pace.
- However, it lacks power over 60 mph and up hills so you have to perform some fast gearchanges.
- Jamie was into speed, he liked fast cars and the adrenaline rush of living life on the edge.
- What You Waiting For is the benchmark for the album, immediately enjoyable with its fast lyrics and catchy melody.
- One of the fastest planes in the air is set to resume service on the London to New York route in the near future.
- Am I just different to the norm since I have never been a great lover of watching fast cars speeding around a piece of tarmac for an hour and a half?
- A little speed will take care of that, letting you zip around and fight at an incredibly fast pace.
- He is the fastest horse I've ever had, and it was because of his speed that we kept him away from the others in the early stages.
- This bird is the world's fastest animal at 220 miles per hour.
- Typical rotating frame experiments are performed in the fast exchange limit.
- I got an Estonian passport stamp, courtesy of a short trip across the water from Finland on a very fast catamaran.
- Keep the defence tight, and when on offence, I want to see quick feet and fast passing.
- Focused on fast ships capable of 31 knots, this has put the wind up rivals, few of which have the resources to match this kind of investment.
- Another fast ship of those times was the American Clipper the Flying Cloud.
- She pulled me onto the dance floor and I surprisingly had a lot of fun moving to the fast beat of the music.
- But do they emit overt commercial messages that fast and possibly irresponsible driving is a good thing?
- The big key to Daytona is making sure you have a fast car that is capable of getting out front and staying there.
- More importantly, they're purposely kept brief to maintain the fast pace of the game.
- Alexis ignored the question and continued walking at a slightly faster pace.
- Most countries retain fleets of small, fast vessels for coastal patrol.
Synonyms speedy, quick, swift, rapid - 1.1 Performed or taking place at high speed; taking only a short time.
the journey was fast and enjoyable Example sentencesExamples - Unfortunately, with the degree of complications, any hope of a fast resolution has faded.
- Freeze your favorites at home to share with friends, and make fast meals a snap.
- Some of them actually buy a number of drinks and consume them quickly to get a fast kick.
- Correct and fast reforms in this area would help the country fight corruption more efficiently.
- Journalism is short-term and gratifying in a fast way, and inherently interactive.
- On the one hand, everything has to be very fast and superficial - a sound bite that you can grab in a second.
- On your return, toss it with hot, freshly cooked pasta, and you have a meal that is fast, light, fresh and colourful - and hot.
- They want to charge fans with fast web connections to watch footage, but there are two massive obstacles in their way.
- They were saying the game is a lot faster than they thought it would be and you need a lot more endurance and speed.
- But when they are located, white bass can provide such fast and enjoyable fishing!
- On the one hand they can offer perfectly crafted pieces of writing just right for fast and enjoyable consumption.
- Their reputation for fairness has been tainted by unscrupulous firms out to make fast money.
- It was a game which exuded excellent, fast play with good passing, finishing and sporting behaviour.
- Trainer Mark Hampton says that the fights are very fast and aggressive, in a series of short two-minute rounds.
- It provides fast and secure individual and group conference communication and transmits packed data and visuals.
- I had the choice of a dingy subway leading south towards the delights of the town centre or a short walk to the railway station and a fast exit.
- Scanning is fast and can be performed in the background so you can carry on working.
- Jason Bright set the fastest lap in today's afternoon practice session.
- It is a fast, snappy, moving show with short scenes and little time for scene changes during the blackouts.
- The journey was short and fast, but strangely uncomfortable.
Synonyms speedy, quick, swift, rapid - 1.2 Performing or able to perform a particular type of action quickly.
Example sentencesExamples - He was a fast learner, able to look back at his own mistakes and improve.
- The band feature two capable and incredibly fast guitarists.
- A predator in every sense of the term, he was a giant among fast bowlers.
- But this is a very fast printer able to cope with heavy workloads.
- I'm a strong, fast walker who has to make a deliberate effort to slow down when in company.
- He claims not to be a fast writer, just someone who responds well to pressure.
- To make such bold statements about any fast bowler is brave verging on foolhardy.
- I'm a fast learner, or they are fast teachers, but it's damn cool.
- Unless you're a fast reader who can keep a clear head, there's a good chance the narrative will speed off and leave you behind.
- Far be it from me to say that this was a bad exam, suffice to say it was an exam in which fast writers were rewarded, at the expense of those without bionic hands.
- Tillman is best in press coverage; his tight hips hinder him when he has to play off fast receivers.
- Even for a fast learner, though, four months is an awfully short time to cram.
- Yorkshire are waiting for a fitness report which will reveal if the fast bowler will be able to play tomorrow.
- 1.3 Allowing people or things to move at high speed.
Example sentencesExamples - He got off the mark over fences at Kilbeggan, beating Lantern Leader four and a half lengths, and will revel in the fast surface.
- And as the sun continues to shine, so do the hopes of Inn At The Top - who favours the firm, fast ground.
- He was promoted to the BP-Ford squad for his experience and knowledge of the dauntingly fast Finnish roads.
- The King George VI Chase at Kempton could be next for the horse if the ground was to come up on the fast side and rule out Best Mate.
- This 2 mile road course is very fast and tricky.
- He was always close to the lead, but could only stay on one-paced in the closing stages and may have found the surface on the fast side.
- It's not a high-speed circuit, there are not many fast corners.
- He's another who handles a fast surface and a repeat of his creditable second to Lord Of The Turf at Galway will see him land this.
- But on a lightening fast surface, the British No.2 was always likely to be a troublesome competitor.
- A good 10 km to blast away the cobwebs is an excellent idea and this is a fast course where personal bests are quite possible.
- This track is very demanding for drivers with fast corners and it's enjoyable to drive here.
- The Gonubie course is fast, but also requires strength, both of a physical and mental nature.
- The Brisbane pitch is fast and bouncy so I think we may just lose the first Test match.
- Our fastest roads (our motorways) are also our safest.
- The first mistake was to choose indoor carpet, a fast surface, that suited Leander's serve and volley game.
- Further than that, the Bught Park is traditionally a fast surface, an ideal venue for the sharp stick work both sets of forwards favour.
- He did well to finish on the predominantly flat fast course to finish in the top 70.
- It was a fast, flat course over two large adjacent areas joined by a steep bank.
- Quarterback Kurt Warner will take advantage of the fast surface and the speed of his receivers.
- Faint Heart was a costly failure at Galway, going down by a length to Right Key, but was all at sea on the fast surface then.
- The final section from the Bolt Shelter to the road is fast, flat, and fun.
- 1.4 (of a playing field) likely to make the ball bounce or run quickly or to allow competitors to reach a high speed.
Example sentencesExamples - Taking the fast outfield into consideration, fans could be in for a rather heavy-scoring game.
- Both batsmen got in some early practice, taking advantage of friendly bowling from the PCA XI and a fast outfield.
- Its not a super fast track, but it is very technical with some great corners and elevation changes.
- I'm still missing a little speed, which you need on these fast indoor courts.
- The surface of the pitch was outstanding and the outfield was fast and true.
2predicative or as complement (of a clock or watch) showing a time ahead of the correct time. I keep my watch fifteen minutes fast Example sentencesExamples - Perhaps our watches were a little fast, or our internal clocks had been affected by the huge amount of alcohol in our systems.
- The calendar is loaded, the meter is ticking and that damn clock has to be fast, doesn't it?
- The alarm clock is an hour fast.
- It's 2:30 by my watch (though my watch is a bit fast), and we're still in Portland.
3Firmly fixed or attached. he made a rope fast to each corner Example sentencesExamples - We sent boats with ropes and hawsers to the rocks, wound a rope round a rock, made a hawser fast to the rope, and swung to it with a length of hawser.
- Dockhands caught the lines and pulled the ship in and made it fast.
Synonyms secure, secured, fastened, tight, firmly fixed attach, fasten, secure, fix, affix, join, connect, couple, link, tie, tie up, bind, fetter, strap, rope, tether, truss, lash, hitch, moor, anchor, yoke, chain - 3.1 (of friends) close and loyal.
Example sentencesExamples - Weeks had passed since that day and the two had become very fast friends.
- Over the years we have become fast friends, and my wife jokingly calls her my girlfriend.
- Alex got along with everyone he met, so there were no doubts in my mind they'd become fast friends.
- She became fast friends with Alicia, since she was closer in age than the rest of the sisters.
- They fought the Soviets together and are fast friends.
- He has made a fast friend in the class, another little boy whom he adores.
- I even went round to his house to apologise. We've been fast friends ever since.
- JJ and I had become fast friends, not as close as Dane and I were but close enough.
- They became fast friends and studied international marketing and languages together at Dublin City University.
- The girls became fast friends during the trip - mostly due to their pranks on Kevin together.
- Being that both of them were musicians and liked a lot of the same bands, Shamus and Chase had become fast friends.
- Drew and Henry became fast friends and worked together throughout the morning.
- A year ago, the two were fast allies.
- This is how I introduced my dog, Kye, to my cat, Johnny, and they became fast friends.
- Nathan decides not to write the book, but he and Coleman become fast friends.
- I, too, was attracted to Steve's courage and charisma, and we became fast friends.
- After that moment they became fast friends, they got along so well, they spent much of each day with each other.
- The two men get to drinking, and then to talking, and it's not long before they've become fast friends.
- He became fast friends with Fred Gwynne, developing a chemistry that is obvious in The Munsters.
- We became fast friends and I was the last man in England to speak to her on the day she died.
Synonyms loyal, devoted, faithful, firm, steadfast, staunch, true, boon, bosom, inseparable
4Photography
(of a film) needing only a short exposure. Example sentencesExamples - Again this is where you use the fast film and enlarge for the portrait.
- For low light and fast shutter speeds you need a fast film and also a fast lens.
- This was big-time exposure country, and had I known in advance I would have brought my tripod and a stock of fast film!
- It's a good idea in any case to have a selection of slow, medium and fast film on hand at all times.
- I used fast film, fast shutter speed, and zoomed in to fill the frame.
- 4.1 (of a lens) having a large aperture and therefore allowing short exposure times.
Example sentencesExamples - Obviously you will want to use your fastest lens, let me know what it is and I will try to suggest a film for you to use.
- It should be lighter, with a fairly fast lens, and reasonable responsiveness and battery life.
- So depending on the lighting conditions you may need to use fast lenses and/or high speed film.
5(of a dye) not fading in light or when washed. Example sentencesExamples - From the tubes, a not so fast dye is extracted for colouring silk.
- The setup had to be optimized for response times below microseconds by using a fast dye and by applying a fast fluorescence detector.
- All those shops selling these goods have to give consumers the assurance that they are fast colour, non-shrinkable and correct size.
Synonyms indelible, lasting, permanent, stable 6(of a person or lifestyle) engaging in or involving exciting or shocking activities. the fast life she led in London Example sentencesExamples - Reid is one such fellow, his name frequently prompting the response 'Who?', even from those of his compatriots with a passing interest in wheels and fast living.
- A pair of red stilettos, maybe you like attention and things on the fast side.
- The actor was as famous for his fast living, hard drinking, and acerbic wit as for his performances.
- Mumbai, on the other hand, was used to money and a fast lifestyle.
- In the beginning it was a hit with a young, fast crowd because of one of its owners, Karim Amatullah.
- Lack of strong family bonds and fast lifestyle also contribute to this habit.
- Tom Adair examines the short life and fast times of an all - American great.
Synonyms wild, dissipated, dissolute, debauched, intemperate, immoderate, louche, rakish, decadent, unrestrained, reckless, profligate, self-indulgent, shameless, sinful, immoral, extravagant
adverbfastfæst 1At high speed. Example sentencesExamples - Ben was walking slightly faster now but still had trouble keeping up.
- My heart beating even faster, what was I supposed to do?
- Responsible drivers know that driving very fast or recklessly will endanger their life and other people's.
- Rod the sound engineer was advising me on speed (that's how fast you speak, not the drug), and on timing.
- Some think it's fun to whizz over the speed hump and see how fast they can take off.
- At that point, the US share market had been growing extremely fast for several years.
- As to the matter of how fast our speeding knight of the road was in fact travelling, various readers were keen to take us to task on the finer points of metric etiquette.
- I didn't think it was possible, but my heart began to beat even faster.
- She says this all very fast and energetically like she has held it in there for so long, and needs to tell someone.
- The way to achieve success in swimming is obviously to swim faster over a given distance.
- I stalled and swore, went too fast or too slow, but he was patient and spoke to me in soothing tones.
- Whoever was driving was driving so fast I couldn't see anything out the window.
- You have to run really fast to get away from Lynette when she's on a make-up rampage.
- Tyler moved so swiftly and so fast he lived up to our team's name: The Black Panthers.
- Inherent in elevator performance is the speed and capacity of each elevator and how fast the doors open and close.
- The friendly council have opened a nice new road and it's so smooth you pick up quite a lot of speed before you realise how fast you are going.
- I wheeze at night and cough during workouts, but I am swimming fast.
- As a result, the systems built with dual-core processors can perform impressively fast.
- She was then fired, allegedly because she did not type fast enough to keep with the creative discussions.
- They shoveled the food into their mouths so fast it was like a speed eating contest.
- I had to walk quite fast to keep up with him.
Synonyms quickly, rapidly, swiftly, speedily, briskly, at speed, at full speed, at full tilt - 1.1 Within a short time.
they think they're going to get rich fast Example sentencesExamples - Passengers had to act fast to save their own lives.
- So, very fast the discussion moved into practical problems: who would be the best to do the job?
- Its been over a week since I got back from Tokyo, memories fade so fast!
- The schedule will also depend on how fast consumers will switch to 3G mobile services.
- Finding mechanisms that can react fast enough to prevent escalation could prove problematic.
- These vehicles are also fast becoming a lifestyle choice, with enhanced styling adding to the popularity of the genre.
- The news spread fast and the crowds became a crush within a few hours.
- You can specify which mouse button will open menus, how fast the mouse responds to double clicks and so forth.
- However, the burning sensation didn't fade quite fast enough.
- A sign of the success of the megachurches in this country and elsewhere is that they are fast becoming mainstream.
- Cecil felt things were just going a bit too fast for his liking.
- He spoke of his days in the school and how fast the fifteen years since he left had gone.
- The fuel crisis is the immediate cause, and whether that will run and run or fade away as fast as it blew up is for the moment hard to say.
- Yeah, she is acting like an idiot, but everything's happening really fast for her.
- Now traditional Highland crofting is fast becoming the lifestyle of choice for stress-ridden city folk.
- Everything happened really fast, there was a lot of people.
- They knew they had to act fast to save this young man's life.
- Angel hit the ground and didn't recover fast enough to avoid a powerful kick to her ribs.
- We have acted fast to stop the harm but the problem has not gone away.
- Kids grow up so fast nowadays, don't they?
2So as to be hard to move; securely. the ship was held fast by the anchor chain Example sentencesExamples - Like a sailing barque stuck fast in the Doldrums, I lurch slowly in the swell, holding my breath and waiting for a wind to fill the sails.
- Moses hid his face from the Lord, and though his eyes were shut fast, his ears were wide open.
- While she was there, aged 16, she watched whaling boats set out on the North Sea, and heard reports of one becoming stuck fast in the ice.
- It's no use, the door's stuck fast!
- Nothing sticks so fast in the mind as a groundless sense of guilt, Kafka told his friend.
- Mason tried to open the door, but it was locked fast.
- Maybe you are like an idol to her to have her cling to you so fast.
- Why is the anchor stuck so fast in the wreckage?
Synonyms securely, tightly, immovably, fixedly, firmly 3So as to be hard to wake. they were too fast asleep to reply Example sentencesExamples - In rooms across the hall my parents and my in-laws are no doubt fast asleep, tuckered out from days of good food and fresh air.
- Glancing in Ralph's room, she saw the old man fast asleep beneath his covers.
- A few days later, Chillingworth finds Dimmesdale fast asleep in a chair at midday.
- When she did awake, she discovered Jared fast asleep in his cot.
- The woman lay fast asleep under a blanket on her bed, until the noise of the snoring outside stirred her.
- She wondered what had made her feel so safe when she looked over and saw Darien fast asleep in a chair next to the bed.
- Without the constant attention of family and friends, she can spend days fast asleep.
- There in the middle was a solitary deck chair with the great man fast asleep and the cub wrapped in his arms.
- I looked around for a second and saw Jessica fast asleep on the couch.
- The buzzers would go off in the night and when the nurses came to see what was wrong they would find the patients fast asleep.
- Amanda wandered back to the beach to find Nora fast asleep in the shade.
- Arriving back at the apartment, she unlocked the door and found Kelly fast asleep, curled up on the couch.
- Ruth sat at the back of the bus, with Dominic fast asleep on her shoulder.
- He found the two encircled in one another's arms fast asleep.
- By the time I returned, she was huddled under the blankets fast asleep.
- Looking down she saw little Callum fast asleep in her arms, resting his head on her chest.
- Sure enough when we looked in our room there were Chris and Brandon fast asleep.
- I thought nothing of flopping onto the hotel bed and falling fast asleep.
- He was just sitting with his back to me while his brother was laying spread out on a couple of chairs fast asleep.
- He glanced over his shoulder to find Bill fast asleep at another computer.
Synonyms deeply, sound, completely
Phrases informal Try to gain an unfair advantage. Joey pulled a fast one on us Example sentencesExamples - But will customers think the fast food giant is pulling a fast one?
- It tickles me that these folks think they are pulling a fast one on the Big Guy.
- She plays a petty shop owner in a village, whose idea of a joke is pulling a fast one on customers.
- The woman they have been calling a political novice has just pulled a fast one on them.
- It showed that management was just trying to pull a fast one.
- To be honest, we thought he was trying to pull a fast one.
- It's tough when a close pal pulls a fast one on you.
- You aren't pulling a fast one on me, are you?
- Are people playing by the rules of the game or pulling a fast one?
- Or were the prosecutors trying to pull a fast one?
Synonyms outsmart, outwit, out-think, outmanoeuvre, outplay, be cleverer than, steal a march on, trick, gull, make a fool of, get the better of
Origin Old English fæst ‘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. verbfastfæst [no object]Abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance. Example sentencesExamples - So fasting in Lent or not eating meat on Fridays seems odd, even eccentric now.
- The male fasts while incubating for 60 days till the female returns at hatching time.
- Twenty years ago she started fasting regularly because she felt a spiritual need to do so.
- The friars inhabited the cloister, sang the matins, fasted and prayed within the walls and lived their lives in Banada six centuries ago.
- They smiled and said, of course they were hungry but did not mind because they were fasting for Allah.
- Muslims prayed, fasted, and performed charitable acts from Oct 15 to Nov 14 for Ramadan.
- Both groups fasted for fourteen hours before taking part in the experiment.
- Three protesters fasted for three days and held a vigil outside the embassy.
- On inquiring, he learned that this man was fasting frequently to atone for his sins.
- Each group fasted for 14 hours prior to taking part in the study.
- That's why the preferred way to test your blood sugar is to take a blood sample from a vein in your arm after you've fasted overnight or for at least eight hours.
- Like every pious Muslim, he prays five times a day and fasts during Ramadan.
- The term fasting glycemia refers to your blood sugar level after you've fasted overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Blood samples were taken after women had fasted for six hours.
- All subjects fasted for more than four hours before the study.
- A set meal was given at lunch time after the supplement to subjects who had fasted overnight.
- Most nuns fasted to keep the rule: the anorexics fasted to break it.
- It is a land where the faithful are summoned by drums, where the whole population fasts two days a week and where no-one smokes because the Church disapproves of the habit.
- Prior to seeing a movie, the volunteers fasted overnight and were given a baseline blood vessel reactivity test to measure what is known as flow-mediated vasodilation.
- Smith and Henderson meditated and fasted for five days prior to the performance, which culminated in a Tantric ritual.
Synonyms abstain from food, refrain from eating, deny oneself food, go without food, go hungry, eat nothing, starve oneself
nounfastfæst An act or period of fasting. Example sentencesExamples - Repeated juice fasts are recommended at intervals of every two months.
- Adult polar bears lose approximately 0.85-0.9 kg of body mass per day during fasts.
- I had done fasts before, then I had built up weight.
- Those who are taking part in the fast will be collecting in Belmullet on St. Patrick's Day.
- I know people that go on fasts for 30 days and work.
- In ancient times, fasts were traditional at the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and were believed to increase fertility.
- Mother, don't worry - sporadic fasts are very healthy.
- A woman has died after several months on a hunger strike in protest against prison reforms, bringing the death toll from the fasts to 20.
- The sponsored fasts will take place between February 28 and March 1st.
- Juice or fruit fasts are common, restricting nutrient intake to only those specific food sources.
- St. Thomas lived a life of austerity; his fasts, for instance, being in marked contrast to the luxury in which he might have lived if he chose.
- On Christmas Day they can eat these things, but the rituals centre more on the last day of the fast on Christmas Eve, he says.
- Some of the fundraising events planned to help raise €17,000 include 24-hour fasts and an American tea party later in the year.
- Diets are prescriptive, like convent fasts - so much of this, so little of that.
- As above, birds retained access to water throughout the duration of the fast.
- And I will keep all the remaining fasts of the month of Ramazan.
- At sunset, the conclusion of daily fasts, participating students were invited to share a delicious meal prepared by local Muslim restaurants.
- This criminal's regular fasts are little more than a sustained effort to bolster his profile.
- In Washington, a veteran of the demonstrations was in the midst of a fast that began on Tuesday.
- The other day I asked one of my friends how his fast was going.
Synonyms period of fasting, period of abstinence
Origin Old English fæstan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vasten and German fasten, also to Old Norse fasta, the source of the noun. |