fasten
part of speech
verb (fasten, fastens, fastened, fastening)
meaning for a pupil
1) To close, join or fix something so it stays shut or in place: fasten a seatbelt, a button, a gate. tree →
2) To attach one thing to another. tree →
3) To fix your eyes or attention on something. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: To fix or attach firmly. The prophets use it for fixing idols with nails and for setting a trusted man firmly in place like a peg. Interpretation: The blue thread holds the golden plate on the high priest's mitre. The plate says "Holy to the LORD," and tradition sees the blue as a reminder of heaven and the commandments. Isaiah's "peg in a sure place" is read as a promise of a steady, honored servant. In the primary lessons: Safety lessons: «Fasten your seatbelt», «fasten your helmet strap». In everyday life: fasten buttons, zips, buckles and shoes. In stories: «Her eyes fastened on the door» (she stared at it).
examples
- And they tied unto it a thread of blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as the LORD commanded Moses. (Torah EXO.39.31, JPS 1917) tree →
- They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. (Prophets JER.10.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of honour to his father's house. (Prophets ISA.22.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- Fasten your seatbelt before we drive off. tree →
- I can't fasten this button. tree →
- Fasten the gate so the dog can't get out. tree →
- He fastened the poster to the wall with tape. tree →
- Make sure your helmet is fastened. tree →
- Her eyes fastened on the cake. tree →
- Can you help me fasten my shoes? tree →
- You can sit on my back, and fasten yourself on with your sash. tree →
note
The t is silent: FAH-sen (UK) / FASS-en (US). Regular verb. Opposite: unfasten. Noun: fastening or fastener.
In the corpora
- And they tied unto it a thread of blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as the LORD commanded Moses.
- And they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
- They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
- Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened?
- And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «fasten» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.