fastness
The quality or state of being fastThe quality or state of being fast (in various senses).: The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.
Translations
4 languagesMeaning
8 sensesThe quality or state of being fast (in various senses).
(countable, uncountable)The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.
the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment
Something that is fast, or that causes someone or something to be fast (in various senses).
(also, countable, figuratively, uncountable)A fortified or secure place; a fortress, a stronghold.
Feste, Festung
цитаде́льcitadélʹ, кре́постьkrépostʹ, опло́тoplót
a strongly fortified defensive structure
The quality or state of being strongly attached; firmness, secureness, tenacity.
(countable, specifically, uncountable)The ability of a dye to withstand fading.
More meanings 5
The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).
(countable, uncountable)The quality or state of moving quickly; quickness, rapidity, swiftness.
(countable, uncountable)The quality or state of having an extravagant lifestyle or immoral habits.
Something that is fast, or that causes someone or something to be fast (in various senses).
(countable, regional, uncountable)Something used to fasten or tie; a fastener or fastening.
The quality or state of being fast (in various senses).
(archaic, countable, uncountable)Of a fortress or other place: the quality or state of being secure from access or attack; safety, security.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)The quality or state of being firm, hard, or solid; firmness, hardness, solidity.
Origin
From Middle English fastnes, fastnesse (“immovableness, stability; firmness, solidness; seFrom Middle English fastnes, fastnesse (“immovableness, stability; firmness, solidness; secure attachment; constancy; obstinacy; something giving firmness or strength; of sleep: soundness; of a wound: healing; assurance, confirmation”) [and other forms], from Old English fæstnes (“fastness, firmness, stability; resolution; tenacity; vigour; firmament; fortification”) [and other forms], from fæst (“firm, stable; constant”) (from Proto-Germanic *fastuz (“firm, fixed; secure”); see further at that entry) + -nes (suffix forming abstract nouns denoting a quality or state). The English word may be analysed as fast + -ness.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: fastnesses| Singular | fastness |
|---|---|
| Plural | fastnesses |
regular
Synonyms
7 synonyms- a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens:speedswiftness
- the quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment:fixednessfixityfixturesecureness
- a strongly fortified defensive structure:stronghold
Word family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.