fastness
1Fastness — Fast ness, n. [AS. f[ae]stnes, fr. f[ae]st fast. See {Fast}, a.] 1. The state of being fast and firm; firmness; fixedness; security; faithfulness. [1913 Webster] All . . . places of fastness [are] laid open. Sir J. Davies. [1913 Webster] 2. A… …
2fastness — index dispatch (promptness) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …
3fastness — a place not easily forced, a stronghold, late O.E. fæstnes, from FAST (Cf. fast) (adj.) in its older sense of firm, fixed in place + NESS (Cf. ness) …
4fastness — stronghold, *fort, fortress, citadel …
5fastness — ► NOUN 1) a secure place well protected by natural features. 2) the ability of a dye to maintain its colour …
6fastness — [fast′nis, fäst′nis] n. [ME fastnesse < OE fæstnes: see FAST1 & NESS] 1. the quality or condition of being fast 2. a secure place; stronghold …
7fastness — /fast nis, fahst /, n. 1. a secure or fortified place; stronghold: a mountain fastness. 2. the state of being fixed or firm: the fastness of democratic institutions. 3. the state of being rapid. [bef. 900; ME; OE faestnes. See FAST1, NESS] * * * …
8fastness — [[t]fɑ͟ːstnəs, fæ̱st [/t]] fastnesses N COUNT: with supp A fastness is a place, such as a castle, which is considered safe because it is difficult to reach or easy to defend against attack. [LITERARY] In his 80s, from the rural fastness of his… …
9fastness — UK [ˈfɑːstnəs] / US [ˈfæstnəs] noun [countable] Word forms fastness : singular fastness plural fastnesses literary a place that is difficult to attack or get control of, usually because it is on the top of a hill or mountain …
10fastness — noun Date: before 12th century 1. the quality or state of being fast: as a. the quality or state of being fixed b. the quality or state of being swift c. colorfast quality d. resistance (as of an organism) to the action of a usually toxic… …
