Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense fastens, present participle fastening, past tense, past participle fastened
1. verb
When you fasten something, you close it by means of buttons or a strap, or some other device. If something fastens with buttons or straps, you can close it in this way.
She got quickly into her Mini and fastened the seat-belt. [VERB noun]
Her long fair hair was fastened at the nape of her neck by an elastic band. [beVERB-ed preposition]
...the dress, which fastens with a long back zip. [VERB preposition]
[Also VERB noun preposition]
2. verb
If you fasten one thing to another, you attach the first thing to the second, for example with a piece of string or tape.
There were no instructions on how to fasten the carrying strap to the box. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Mamma fastened the picture on the wall. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
3. ergative verb
If someone or something fastens your attention on a particular thing or if your attention fastenson it, you start to concentrate on it rather than on anything else.
More and more her memory and all her thoughts fastened on one event. [VERBon noun]
The discovery has fastened public attention on the possibilities of DNA analysisfor resolving mysteries. [VERB noun on noun]
4. verb
If someone or something fastenson a particular thing, they start to concentrate on it.
My mind attempted to calm itself by fastening on this trivial detail. [Von/onto n]
It's a gross over-simplification to fasten on to the red deer as a threat to theenvironment. [Von/onto n]
Synonyms: fix, join, link, connect More Synonyms of fasten
5. verb
If someone fastenson you, they keep following, talking to, or staying with you, when you want them to go away.
6. See also fastening
More Synonyms of fasten
fasten in British English
(ˈfɑːsən)
verb
1.
to make or become fast or secure
2.
to make or become attached or joined
3.
to close or become closed by fixing firmly in place, locking, etc
4. (tr; foll by in or up)
to enclose or imprison
5. (transitive; usually foll byon)
to cause (blame, a nickname, etc) to be attached (to); place (on) or impute (to)
6. (usually foll byon or upon)
to direct or be directed in a concentrated way; fix
she fastened her gaze on the painting
7. (intransitive; usually foll byon)
take firm hold (of)
Derived forms
fastener (ˈfastener)
noun
Word origin
Old English fæstnian; related to Old Norse fastna to pledge, Old High German fastinōn to make fast; see fast1
fasten in American English
(ˈfæsən; ˈfɑsən)
verb transitive
1.
to join (one thing to another); attach; connect
2.
to make fast or secure, as by locking, shutting, buttoning, etc.; fix firmly in place
3.
to hold, fix, or direct (the attention, gaze, etc.) steadily on something
4.
to cause to be connected or attributed; impute
to fasten a crime on someone
5.
to force (oneself) on or upon another in an annoying way
verb intransitive
6.
to become attached or joined
7.
to take a firm hold (on or upon); seize; cling
8.
to concentrate (on or upon)
SIMILAR WORDS: tie
Word origin
ME fastnen < OE fæstnian < base of fæst: see fast1
Examples of 'fasten' in a sentence
fasten
Then fasten your seatbelt and prepare to rise to new heights.
Christianity Today (2000)
Those who find such sums morally offensive had better fasten their belts.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Just keep your seatbelt fastened for all that visual turbulence.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Please keep your seat belt fastened until the plane has come to a complete standstill.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
If it happens then fasten your seatbelts.
The Sun (2016)
One significant disadvantage is the care male passengers will have to exercise when they fasten their safety belts.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It only has one string, fastened to a hunk of wood.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He was more or less asleep and did not stir as his head was locked into place with straps fastened across his forehead.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
All the straps fasten on the outside of the leg, with the straps pointing backwards.
Eccles, Lesley Your First Horse - buying, feeding, caring (1989)
We do know that you'll need to fasten your seatbelt.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Other features include reminders to slow down, fasten seatbelts and check when fuel is getting low.
The Sun (2011)
You could fasten the waist straps really tight as well, to take some weight on the hips.
The Sun (2011)
Please fasten your seat belt.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
And you used to have a string fastened on so you could put it on your back, or inside your satchel.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
But it was fastened in the belt of her apron behind, so she began on the knot at the other end.
Louisa May Alcott Little Men (1871)
These contain small switches telling the warning system that the seatbelt is fastened, but they can go wrong from time to time.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
What's wrong with shoes that fasten with Velcro straps?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Next up Arsenal, fasten your seatbelts.
The Sun (2009)
The top strap of a knee cap should be firmly fastened while the lower one needs to be looser to allow for movement of the horse's knee.
Eccles, Lesley Your First Horse - buying, feeding, caring (1989)
They are shaped to fit the back of the leg whilst the straps are fastened around the front of the leg, again with the straps pointing backwards.
Eccles, Lesley Your First Horse - buying, feeding, caring (1989)
In other languages
fasten
British English: fasten VERB
When you fasten something, you close it by means of buttons or a strap, or some other device. If something fastens with buttons or straps, you can close it in this way.
She got quickly into her car and fastened the seat-belt.
American English: fasten
Brazilian Portuguese: apertar
Chinese: 系牢
European Spanish: abrochar
French: attacher
German: festmachen
Italian: allacciare
Japanese: しっかり締める
Korean: 매다
European Portuguese: apertar
Latin American Spanish: abrochar
Chinese translation of 'fasten'
fasten
(ˈfɑːsn)
vt
(= tie, join) 固定 (gùdìng)
[coat, jacket, belt]系(繫) (jì)
vi
[coat, jacket]扣上 (kòushàng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to close by fixing firmly in place or locking
He fastened the door behind him.
Synonyms
secure
With a discreet click he secured the lock.
close
If you are cold, close the window.
lock
Are you sure you locked the front door?
chain
seal
He sealed the envelope and put on a stamp.
bolt
He reminded her to lock and bolt the kitchen door behind her.
do up
2 (verb)
Definition
to make or become secure or joined
The dress fastens down the back.
Synonyms
tie
He tied the ends of the plastic bag together.
bind
Bind the ends of the card together with thread.
lace
No matter how tightly I lace these shoes, my ankles wobble.
tie up
3 (verb)
Definition
to make or become secure or joined
Use screws to fasten the shelf to the wall.
Synonyms
fix
Fix the photo to the card using double-sided tape
join
The opened link is used to join the two ends of the chain.
link
the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France
connect
Connect the machine to the mains.
grip
attach
Attach labels to things before you file them away.
anchor
The driver's seatbelt was not properly anchored in the car.
affix
Complete the form and affix four tokens.
make firm
make fast
4 (verb)
Definition
to direct one's attention in a concentrated way towards
Her thoughts fastened on one event.
Synonyms
concentrate
Try to concentrate on what you're doing.
focus
fix
Attention is fixed on the stock market.
5 (verb)
They fastened their gaze on the table and did not look up.
Synonyms
direct
He directed the tiny beam of light at the roof.
aim
He was aiming the rifle at me.
focus
The summit is expected to focus on arms control.
fix
concentrate
bend
He's very decisive. You cannot bend him.
rivet
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affix
Definition
to attach or fasten
Complete the form and affix four tokens.
Synonyms
attach,
add,
join,
stick on,
bind,
put on,
tag,
glue,
paste,
tack,
fasten,
annex,
append (formal),
subjoin
in the sense of aim
Definition
to point (a weapon or missile) or direct (a blow or remark) at a particular person or object
He was aiming the rifle at me.
Synonyms
point,
level,
train,
direct,
sight,
take aim (at)
in the sense of anchor
The driver's seatbelt was not properly anchored in the car.