fast
♦♦ fast /f'ɑːst, f'æst/ (faster fastest fasts fasting fasted)
1 [ADJ]
Fast means happening, moving, or doing something at great speed. You also use fast in questions or statements about speed.
...fast cars with flashing lights and sirens...
Brindley was known as a very, very fast driver...
The party aims to attract votes from the business and professional communities, which want a faster pace of political reform...
The only question is how fast the process will be.
= quick
≠ slow
[ADV] ADV with v
Fast is also an adverb.
They work terrifically fast...
It would be nice to go faster and break the world record...
Barnes also knows that he is fast running out of time...
How fast were you driving?...
How fast would the disease develop?
= quickly
≠ slowly
2 [ADV] ADV after v
You use fast to say that something happens without any delay.
When you've got a crisis like this you need professional help-fast!...
We'd appreciate your leaving as fast as possible.
= soon, swiftly
[ADJ] ADJ n
Fast is also an adjective.
That would be an astonishingly fast action on the part of the Congress.
= swift
3 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If a watch or clock is fast, it is showing a time that is later than the real time.
That clock's an hour fast.
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If you hold something fast, you hold it tightly and firmly. If something is stuck fast, it is stuck very firmly and cannot move.
She climbed the staircase cautiously, holding fast to the rail...
The tanker is stuck fast on the rocks.
= firmly
5 [ADV] ADV after v
If you hold fast to a principle or idea, or if you stand fast, you do not change your mind about it, even though people are trying to persuade you to.
We can only try to hold fast to the age-old values of honesty, decency and concern for others...
He told supporters to stand fast over the next few vital days.
= firm
6 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If colours or dyes are fast, they do not come out of the fabrics they are used on when they get wet.
The fabric was ironed to make the colours fast.
7 [VERB] V
If you fast, you eat no food for a period of time, usually for either religious or medical reasons, or as a protest.
I fasted for a day and half and asked God to help me.
[N-COUNT]
Fast is also a noun.
The fast is broken at sunset, traditionally with dates and water.
● fasting [N-UNCOUNT]
...the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer.
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
Someone who is fast asleep is completely asleep.
When he went upstairs five minutes later, she was fast asleep.
9
to make a fast buck: see buckfast food
[N-UNCOUNT] oft n N
Fast food is hot food, such as hamburgers and chips, that you obtain from particular types of restaurant, and which is served quickly after you order it.
James works as assistant chef at a fast food restaurant...fast for|ward (fast forwards fast forwarding fast forwarded)
also fast-forward
1 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V, also V prep/adv
When you fast forward the tape in a video or tape recorder or when you fast forward, you make the tape go forwards. Compare rewind.
Just fast forward the video...
He fast-forwarded the tape past the explosion...
The urge to fast-forward is almost irresistible.
2 [N-UNCOUNT] oft on N
If you put a video or cassette tape on fast forward, you make the tape go forwards. Compare rewind.
Before recording onto a new tape, wind it on fast forward, then rewind...fast lane (fast lanes)
1 [N-COUNT] usu the N
On a motorway, the fast lane is the part of the road where the vehicles that are travelling fastest go. (mainly BRIT)
2 [N-SING] usu the N
If someone is living in the fast lane, they have a very busy, exciting life, although they sometimes seem to take a lot of risks.
..a tale of life in the fast lane.fast track (fast tracks fast tracking fast tracked)
also fast-track
1 [N-SING] oft N to n, N n
The fast track to a particular goal, especially in politics or in your career, is the quickest route to achieving it.
Many Croats and Slovenes saw independence as the fast track to democracy...
2 [VERB] be V-ed, V n
To fast track something means to make it happen or progress faster or earlier than normal.
A Federal Court case had been fast tracked to Wednesday...
Woodward has fast-tracked a number of youngsters into the line-up since he became coach.hard and fast
[ADJ] usu with brd-neg, usu ADJ n
If you say that there are no hard and fast rules, or that there is no hard and fast information about something, you are indicating that there are no fixed or definite rules or facts.
There are no hard and fast rules, but rather traditional guidelines as to who pays for what...
= definite
1 [ADJ]
Fast means happening, moving, or doing something at great speed. You also use fast in questions or statements about speed.
...fast cars with flashing lights and sirens...
Brindley was known as a very, very fast driver...
The party aims to attract votes from the business and professional communities, which want a faster pace of political reform...
The only question is how fast the process will be.
= quick
≠ slow
[ADV] ADV with v
Fast is also an adverb.
They work terrifically fast...
It would be nice to go faster and break the world record...
Barnes also knows that he is fast running out of time...
How fast were you driving?...
How fast would the disease develop?
= quickly
≠ slowly
2 [ADV] ADV after v
You use fast to say that something happens without any delay.
When you've got a crisis like this you need professional help-fast!...
We'd appreciate your leaving as fast as possible.
= soon, swiftly
[ADJ] ADJ n
Fast is also an adjective.
That would be an astonishingly fast action on the part of the Congress.
= swift
3 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If a watch or clock is fast, it is showing a time that is later than the real time.
That clock's an hour fast.
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If you hold something fast, you hold it tightly and firmly. If something is stuck fast, it is stuck very firmly and cannot move.
She climbed the staircase cautiously, holding fast to the rail...
The tanker is stuck fast on the rocks.
= firmly
5 [ADV] ADV after v
If you hold fast to a principle or idea, or if you stand fast, you do not change your mind about it, even though people are trying to persuade you to.
We can only try to hold fast to the age-old values of honesty, decency and concern for others...
He told supporters to stand fast over the next few vital days.
= firm
6 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If colours or dyes are fast, they do not come out of the fabrics they are used on when they get wet.
The fabric was ironed to make the colours fast.
7 [VERB] V
If you fast, you eat no food for a period of time, usually for either religious or medical reasons, or as a protest.
I fasted for a day and half and asked God to help me.
[N-COUNT]
Fast is also a noun.
The fast is broken at sunset, traditionally with dates and water.
● fasting [N-UNCOUNT]
...the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer.
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
Someone who is fast asleep is completely asleep.
When he went upstairs five minutes later, she was fast asleep.
9
to make a fast buck: see buckfast food
[N-UNCOUNT] oft n N
Fast food is hot food, such as hamburgers and chips, that you obtain from particular types of restaurant, and which is served quickly after you order it.
James works as assistant chef at a fast food restaurant...fast for|ward (fast forwards fast forwarding fast forwarded)
also fast-forward
1 [VERB] V n, V n prep/adv, V, also V prep/adv
When you fast forward the tape in a video or tape recorder or when you fast forward, you make the tape go forwards. Compare rewind.
Just fast forward the video...
He fast-forwarded the tape past the explosion...
The urge to fast-forward is almost irresistible.
2 [N-UNCOUNT] oft on N
If you put a video or cassette tape on fast forward, you make the tape go forwards. Compare rewind.
Before recording onto a new tape, wind it on fast forward, then rewind...fast lane (fast lanes)
1 [N-COUNT] usu the N
On a motorway, the fast lane is the part of the road where the vehicles that are travelling fastest go. (mainly BRIT)
2 [N-SING] usu the N
If someone is living in the fast lane, they have a very busy, exciting life, although they sometimes seem to take a lot of risks.
..a tale of life in the fast lane.fast track (fast tracks fast tracking fast tracked)
also fast-track
1 [N-SING] oft N to n, N n
The fast track to a particular goal, especially in politics or in your career, is the quickest route to achieving it.
Many Croats and Slovenes saw independence as the fast track to democracy...
2 [VERB] be V-ed, V n
To fast track something means to make it happen or progress faster or earlier than normal.
A Federal Court case had been fast tracked to Wednesday...
Woodward has fast-tracked a number of youngsters into the line-up since he became coach.hard and fast
[ADJ] usu with brd-neg, usu ADJ n
If you say that there are no hard and fast rules, or that there is no hard and fast information about something, you are indicating that there are no fixed or definite rules or facts.
There are no hard and fast rules, but rather traditional guidelines as to who pays for what...
= definite