hold fast
To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentallyTo stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
» The color of the shirt held fast.
Колір сорочки тримався міцно. — ChickenKiev
Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
2 senses(idiomatic)To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
A formal command to a ship's crew to grasp and hold on to a solid fitting, such as ropes or rails, to avoid being swept overboard, especially during a storm.
All hands...hold fast!
- stick to firmly
Examples
8 sentencesThe color of the shirt held fast.
Колір сорочки тримався міцно. — ChickenKiev
I held fast to his hand.
We hold fast to what we believe in.
deWir halten an dem fest, woran wir glauben. — Waldelfe
I hold fast to the belief that tomorrow brings hope.
Argument was not his strong point, but holding fast to his opinion certainly was.
deDas Argumentieren lag ihm nicht, das Festhalten an seiner Meinung aber um so mehr. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Origin
A verbal phrase composed of the words: hold ("grasp", "grip") and fast ("resolutely", "steA verbal phrase composed of the words: hold ("grasp", "grip") and fast ("resolutely", "steadfastly").
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
holds fast, holding fast, held fast, held fast| Base form | hold fast · to hold fast |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | holds fast |
| Present participle | holding fast |
| Past simple | held fast |
| Past participle | held fast |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
11 synonymsAntonyms
3 antonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
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.