FASTEN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does fasten mean? 

• FASTEN (verb)
  The verb FASTEN has 4 senses:

1. cause to be firmly attached

2. become fixed or fastened

3. attach to

4. make tight or tighter

  Familiarity information: FASTEN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FASTEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they fasten    ... he / she / it fastens   
Past simple: fastened   
Past participle: fastened   
-ing form: fastening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to be firmly attached

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

fasten; fix; secure

Context example:

she fixed her gaze on the man

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"):

rivet (fasten with a rivet or rivets)

velcro (fasten with Velcro)

stay (fasten with stays)

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

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

lock (fasten with a lock)

lock up (secure by locking)

hasp (secure or lock with a hasp)

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

tack (fasten with tacks)

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

hook (fasten with a hook)

belt (fasten with a belt)

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

grout (bind with grout)

staple (secure or fasten with a staple or staples)

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)

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

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; ground (fix firmly and stably)

clamp (fasten or fix with a clamp)

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

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 2

Meaning:

Become fixed or fastened

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

This dress fastens in the back

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)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attach to

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

They fastened various nicknames to each other

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

attach (cause to be attached)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make tight or tighter

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fasten; tighten

Context example:

Tighten the wire

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"):

firm; tauten (make taut or tauter)

frap (take up the slack of)

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

screw (tighten or fasten by means of screwing motions)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

The woman’s first instinct would be to shut and fasten the window.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was fastened on the inner side.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His traces were fastened, the sled broken out, and with both men running they dashed out on to the river trail.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed about to fasten on my throat.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Each dog was fastened to the sled by a single rope.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"These bits of lace are fastened under the chin with a rosebud, so," and Meg illustrated by putting on the bonnet and regarding him with an air of calm satisfaction that was irresistible.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I then took my tackling, and, fastening a hook to the hole at the prow of each, I tied all the cords together at the end.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Another night; and in the morning, being more rational, he untied the leather string that fastened the squat moose-hide sack.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Slipping off a turn, I lowered the mast back into the water and fastened the tackle a third of the way down from the butt.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Are you sure that everything is fastened?

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)