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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fast, adv. [ME. fast, faste, OE. fæste, ON. fast.]

1. Firmly, fixedly, securely. 1375 Barb. xvii. 444.
The ȝhet thai barrit and closit fast Ib. 720.
Thair batis vp apon thair mastis Drawin weill hye and festnyt fast is a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1007.
A gret bane … In-til his throit clewit sa faste, That he to de was sare agaste c1420 Wynt. iii. 271.
Rapys … for tyll bynd this Sampsone fast Ib. vi. 1519.
Thai gert be All the durys stekyd fast a1500 Henr. Fab. 759.
The foxe he prikkit fast vnto the eird c1475 Wall. i. 222.
Fast by the collar Wallace couth him ta Ib. ix. 147.
The mekill barge had nocht thaim clyppyt fast 1513 Doug. vii. ii. 8.
At the schor … Thar navy can thai ankyr fast and hank 15.. Clar. iii. 2084.
Scho … him beclipit in hir armis fast 1549 Compl. 102/19.
Ther vas tua speyris set fast in the eyrd a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxxi. 27.
In to ane lekand bott, nocht nalit fast To beir the saill a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 278 (L).
Ane fysche fanggit in the net, … With wreisting and thrysting, The faster stykis schofig. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 186.
One thai paste & til Petyre anerdit fast a1500 Henr. Fab. 55.
That … in thair myndis sa fast is radicate c1475 Wall. vii. 49.
This band thai clois wndre thair seillis fast 1535 Stewart 1064.
The beleall Britis … assalit hes ane cast To brek that band the quhilk wes bund so fast 1567 G. Ball. 15.
Thow suld not dout, bot fast beleiue That Christis body [etc.]comb. 1456 Hay II. 57/35.
Syne ar thay fast haldand, that na gude will part with 1533 Boece iii. vii. 100.
Turnyng him to auarice, he grew fast haldand and of ingine illiberale

b. In the phrase to play fast and louse (or leigh). 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 196.]
[We mycht full weill haue leuit in peace and rest, Nyne or ten ȝeris, and than playit lowis or fast 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 146.
Thir antichristianis playis fast and lous vith pure simpill mennis saulis 1629 Kirkcaldy Presb. 55.
It may be seine how these men play fast and leigh, and doe bot mock the Presbytrie

2. Diligently, earnestly, persistently. 1375 Barb. i. 42.
The barnage … Assemblyt thaim, and fayndyt fast To cheys a king Ib. iv. 616.
Eftir the fyr he lukyt fast a1400 Leg. S. iii. 1003.
Thane com a pylgrime … To the ȝet, and fast gan cry, For goddis sak entre askand Ib. xviii. 218.
He sanyt hyme ful faste, As man at gretly var agaste c1420 Wynt. i. 448.
Off the wyne … He drank swa fast that he wes glede c1475 Wall. vi. 880.
The Erlle beheld fast till his hye curage a1500 Bk. Chess 1554.
Als fast thé for his deid I besocht 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 55.
I saw the Feind fast folkis to vices tyst Id. Æn. ii. xi. 88.
My fader than … Cryis on me fast, … ‘fle, son, in hy’ a1540 Freiris Berw. 235.
Ay on Alesoun fast he couth cry

3. Strongly, vigorously, forcibly. 1375 Barb. iii. 271.
. Men … That fortoun contraryit fast, And come to purpos at the last Ib. xv. 60.
The Scottis men dang on so fast … As ilk man war a campioun a1400 Leg. S. iii. 1005.
With his hand He knokit faste apon the ȝet c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2229.
The auchtane day fechtande richt fast He provit sa c1420 Wynt. iv. 604.
The Sitikkis handlyt thaim sa fast, … That nane durst fra the bataile byde ?1438 Alex. ii. 1712.
Speres and dartis at him they cast; The Bauderane him defendit fast c1475 Wall. i. 411.
On athir side full fast on him thai dange a1500 Rauf C. 27.
Ithand wedderis … draif on so fast c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 493.
With my fut fast on his I stamp 1513 Doug. xii. v. 201.
This Chorineus als so fast Ruschit on his fa 1549 Compl. 66/30.
The bel veddir for blythtnes bleyttit rycht fast 1563-1570 Buch. Wks. 51.
Albeit Chamæleon … ragit neuir sa fast, the contrait was concludit

4. Quickly, rapidly, with haste. 1375 Barb. viii. 61.
Behinde thame so stoppit vas The vay, that thai fast mycht nocht fle c1420 Wynt. iv. 2239.
In the se He lape, and … Held on till his schyppis fast Ib. vii. 648.
Efftyr thame he fast hym spede ?1438 Alex. ii. 4988.
His end he seis approchand fast 1456 Hay I. 286/32.
To say his hors rynnys fastar na his c1475 Wall. ii. 326.
Go, speid the fast agayne To that sammyn hous a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 463.
Thow spewit … Fastar nor all the marinalis culd pump 1540 Lynd. Sat. 365.
Als fast as ȝe may carie, Speid with all diligence 1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 196.
Gevyn ane barrall of aill to the boitmen to caus them row fast a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv. 56.
Causis ilk day so fast dois multiplie That with this seit can nocht ourtakin be

5. Als(a) fast, quickly, promptly, without delay. Als fast as, as soon as. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2073.
This Makduff than als fast In Ingland apon cowndyt past Ib. vii. 2129.
In Normandy syne alsa fast Wyth a powere gret he past 1456 Hay I. 52/34.
Als fast as the tempest was cessit, thai … come to the bataill agayne a1500 Seven S. 1846.
Than als fast as the nycht was gane The empriour gart his sone be tane 1513 Doug. x. xiii. 117.
That he may, when the son schynys agane, Exers hys journe, or hys wark alsfast

6. Fast by, close or near to (a place). c1475 Wall. viii. 1013.
A ryoll sted, fast by a forest sid 1513 Doug. i. viii. 134.
Quhiddir ȝhe willto gret Hesperia, … Or to the cost of Sycill fast tharby Ib. vii. Prol. 124.
Fast by my chalmyr … The soir gled quhislis