/ English Dictionary |
FASTNESS
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A strongly fortified defensive structure
Synonyms:
fastness; stronghold
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):
defence; defense; defensive structure (a structure used to defend against attack)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):
bastion; citadel (a stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle)
blockhouse (a stronghold that is reinforced for protection from enemy fire; with apertures for defensive fire)
hold (a stronghold)
donjon; dungeon; keep (the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress)
redoubt (an entrenched stronghold or refuge)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment
Synonyms:
fastness; fixedness; fixity; fixture; secureness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):
immovability; immovableness (not capable of being moved or rearranged)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):
lodgement; lodging; lodgment (the state or quality of being lodged or fixed even temporarily)
Derivation:
fast (securely fixed in place)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
Example:
the project advanced with gratifying speed
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("fastness" is a kind of...):
pace; rate (the relative speed of progress or change)
Attribute:
fast (acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly)
slow (not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fastness"):
haste; hastiness; hurriedness; hurry; precipitation (overly eager speed (and possible carelessness))
execution speed ((computer science) the speed with which a computational device can execute instructions; measured in MIPS)
graduality; gradualness (the quality of being gradual or of coming about by gradual stages)
Derivation:
fast (acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly)
fast (at a rapid tempo)
fast (hurried and brief)