Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To attach firmly to something else, as by pinning or nailing.
  • intransitive verb To make fast or secure.
  • intransitive verb To close or connect securely, as with a lock or other device.
  • intransitive verb To fix or direct steadily.
  • intransitive verb To place; attribute.
  • intransitive verb To impose (oneself) without welcome.
  • intransitive verb To become attached, fixed, or joined.
  • intransitive verb To close or join in a particular manner.
  • intransitive verb To focus one's sight or attention on something.
  • intransitive verb To select something by close attention.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make fast; cause to adhere; join, connect, or attach firmly; fix or secure in place or position by any physical means: as, to fasten a door with a lock, bolt, or chain; to fasten boards together with nails or screws, or by mortise and tenon; to fasten clothing with buttons, pins, clasps, etc.
  • Figuratively, to attach or unite by any connecting link or agency; connect or join firmly in general: as, to fasten a nickname or a charge upon one; to fasten one's hope on a promise.
  • To make firm or stable; establish; confirm; clench: as, to fasten a bargain.
  • To lay on; cause to reach.
  • = Syn 1 and To bind, attach, tie, link, affix, annex.
  • To become fast or fixed; become attached or firmly joined; close firmly.
  • To take firm hold; cling: generally with on.
  • noun A Middle English form of fast.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To fix firmly; to make fast; to secure, as by a knot, lock, bolt, etc.
  • transitive verb To cause to hold together or to something else; to attach or unite firmly; to cause to cleave to something , or to cleave together, by any means
  • transitive verb obsolete To cause to take close effect; to make to tell; to lay on.
  • transitive verb to make his guilt certain, or so probable as to be generally believed.
  • transitive verb to look upon steadily without cessation.
  • intransitive verb To fix one's self; to take firm hold; to clinch; to cling.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To attach or connect in a secure manner.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb become fixed or fastened
  • verb make tight or tighter
  • verb attach to
  • verb cause to be firmly attached

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English fastnen, from Old English fæstnian; see past- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old English fæstnian

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