Library / English Dictionary

FASTEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make tight or tighter

Example:

Tighten the wire

Synonyms:

fasten; tighten

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "fasten" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fasten"):

frap (take up the slack of)

firm; tauten (make taut or tauter)

screw (tighten or fasten by means of screwing motions)

wind; wind up (coil the spring of (some mechanical device) by turning a stem)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Attach to

Example:

They fastened various nicknames to each other

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fasten" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to be firmly attached

Example:

she fixed her gaze on the man

Synonyms:

fasten; fix; secure

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fasten" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Cause:

fasten (become fixed or fastened)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fasten"):

staple (secure or fasten with a staple or staples)

grout (bind with grout)

cement (bind or join with or as if with cement)

belt (fasten with a belt)

hook (fasten with a hook)

string (string together; tie or fasten with a string)

tack (fasten with tacks)

zip; zip up; zipper (close with a zipper)

hasp (secure or lock with a hasp)

lock up (secure by locking)

lock (fasten with a lock)

clinch (secure or fasten by flattening the ends of nails or bolts)

clinch (flatten the ends (of nails and rivets))

stay (fasten with stays)

rivet (fasten with a rivet or rivets)

button (fasten with buttons)

pin (attach or fasten with pins)

hang; hang up (cause to be hanging or suspended)

hang (place in position as by a hinge so as to allow free movement in one direction)

deposit; lodge; stick; wedge (put, fix, force, or implant)

entrench; intrench (fix firmly or securely)

buckle; clasp (fasten with a buckle or buckles)

brooch; clasp (fasten with or as if with a brooch)

stake (tie or fasten to a stake)

wire (fasten with wire)

coapt (fit tightly and fasten)

joggle (fasten or join with a joggle)

joint (fasten with a joint)

toggle (fasten with, or as if with, a toggle)

strap (secure (a sprained joint) with a strap)

bind; tie (fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord)

rig (connect or secure to)

bitt (secure with a bitt)

latch (fasten with a latch)

garter (fasten with or as if with a garter)

chain (fasten or secure with chains)

cable (fasten with a cable)

picket (fasten with a picket)

rope up (attach to one another, for safety)

cinch; girth (tie a cinch around)

bandage; bind (wrap around with something so as to cover or enclose)

cramp (secure with a cramp)

cleat (secure on a cleat)

anchor; cast anchor; drop anchor (secure a vessel with an anchor)

velcro (fasten with Velcro)

clamp (fasten or fix with a clamp)

bar (secure with, or as if with, bars)

belay (turn a rope round an object or person in order to secure it or him)

belay (fasten a boat to a bitt, pin, or cleat)

bight (fasten with a bight)

brad (fasten with brads)

chock (secure with chocks)

noose (secure with a noose)

crank (fasten with a crank)

run up; sew; sew together; stitch (fasten by sewing; do needlework)

spike (secure with spikes)

berth; moor; tie up (secure in or as if in a berth or dock)

moor (secure with cables or ropes)

anchor; ground (fix firmly and stably)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

unfasten (cause to become undone)

Derivation:

fastener (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

fastener (a person who fastens or makes fast)

fastening (the act of fastening things together)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become fixed or fastened

Example:

This dress fastens in the back

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fasten" is one way to...):

attach (become attached)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fasten"):

glue (be fixed as if by glue)

stick (fasten into place by fixing an end or point into something)

stick (fasten with or as with pins or nails)

stick (fasten with an adhesive material like glue)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Antonym:

unfasten (become undone or untied)

Derivation:

fastener; fastening (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

Credits

 Context examples: 

At length the chaise arrived, the trunks were fastened on, the parcels placed within, and it was pronounced to be ready.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"Now, Carter, be on the alert," he said to this last: "I give you but half-an-hour for dressing the wound, fastening the bandages, getting the patient downstairs and all."

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I see them on this occasion fastened with an elaborate double bow, which is not your usual method of tying them.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The Scarecrow and the Woodman now began to fasten the mice to the truck, using the strings they had brought.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Nobody can fasten themselves on the notice of one, without injuring the rights of the other.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

A fastening device designed to hold, close, or secure.

(Lock Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

The type of locking device used to securely fasten the electrical leads to the device.

(Electrical Lead Locking Type, NCI Thesaurus)

A fastening device for a swinging part usually consisting of a bar that is retained in a slot.

(Latch Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

Some are, as you see, upon one sheet, and some are in many pieces which may fasten together.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He then fastened his end of the rope to the package of supplies which had been carried up, and we were able to drag it across.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)