1910: fast Mar 8, 2020

We have 'fast-food' and we have 'fast' meaning to abstain from food, but both of these senses come from the same root. By far, 'fast' as an adjective referring to speed is more common, but the verb meaning to voluntarily abstain from food, especially in a religious way, is the older form. Initially, this word, or in Old English 'fæstan', just meant 'to pledge' or even "to make firm"; just consider the word 'steadfast'. Moreover, an early nominal form 'fæsten' denoted a fortress. The adjective connoting speed only came about in the mid-16th century, and ironically, this then led to phrases like fast-living soon or in the '50s 'fast-food', which don't relate to moral steadfastness at all.

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