fast
part of speech
adjective (fast, faster, fastest); adverb (fast); verb (fast, fasts, fasted, fasting); noun (a fast)
meaning for a pupil
1) Fast means moving or doing something quickly. tree →
2) A clock or watch that is fast shows a time later than the real time. tree →
3) Fast also means firmly, tightly: «stuck fast», «fast asleep» (very deeply asleep). tree →
4) To fast is to not eat for a time, often for religious reasons; a fast is that time. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In many verses it means firmly or tightly: "fast closed" and "hold him fast." In the Prophets and Writings it also means to go without food as an act of religious mourning or prayer, and "standeth fast" means is firmly settled. Interpretation: Tradition reads the closed wombs as a sign that God watches over Abraham's household and Sarah. Holding Ishmael "fast" is read as God's care for him and his promised nation. Isaiah teaches that fasting means little unless it comes with justice and kindness. In the primary lessons: In school maths: speed comparisons — who is faster, how fast (a rate: distance ÷ time); fastest time; a clock that is 5 minutes fast. In science: speed, forces, friction slows things down. In everyday life: fast food, running fast on sports day, «not so fast!». Phrases: «as fast as», «fast asleep», «fast food», «hold fast», «fast forward».
examples
- For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife. (Torah GEN.20.18, JPS 1917) tree →
- Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast by thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.' (Torah GEN.21.18, JPS 1917) tree →
- 'Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou seest not? (Prophets ISA.58.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. (Prophets JER.8.5, JPS 1917) tree →
- For ever, O LORD, Thy word standeth fast in heaven. (Writings PSA.119.89, JPS 1917) tree →
- How fast does the car go? tree →
- Tom runs faster than Ben. tree →
- The fast train goes 120 km an hour. tree →
- Who is the fastest? tree →
- The cheetah is the fastest land animal. tree →
- My watch is 5 minutes fast. tree →
- The baby is fast asleep. tree →
- Some people fast during Ramadan. tree →
- His chest heaved hard and fast. tree →
note
«Fast» is both adjective and adverb: «a fast car», «she runs fast» (not «fastly»). «Breakfast» is the meal that breaks the night's fast. Maths: «how fast» asks for a speed (distance ÷ time). Trap: faster means less time for the same distance; a clock 5 minutes fast means take away 5 minutes for the real time.
In the corpora
- For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
- Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast by thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.'
- And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
- But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again?
- And she wrote in the letters, saying: 'Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people;
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «fast» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.