[syn: tighten, fasten]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fasten \Fas"ten\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fastened; p. pr. & vb.
n. Fastening.] [AS. f[ae]stnian; akin to OHG. festin[=o]n.
See Fast, a.]
1. To fix firmly; to make fast; to secure, as by a knot,
lock, bolt, etc.; as, to fasten a chain to the feet; to
fasten a door or window.
[1913 Webster]
2. To cause to hold together or to something else; to attach
or unite firmly; to cause to cleave to something, or to
cleave together, by any means; as, to fasten boards
together with nails or cords; to fasten anything in our
thoughts.
[1913 Webster]
The words Whig and Tory have been pressed to the
service of many successions of parties, with very
different ideas fastened to them. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]
3. To cause to take close effect; to make to tell; to lay on;
as, to fasten a blow. [Obs.] --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
If I can fasten but one cup upon him. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
To fasten a charge upon or To fasten a crime upon, to
make his guilt certain, or so probable as to be generally
believed.
To fasten one's eyes upon, to look upon steadily without
cessation. --Acts iii. 4.
Syn: To fix; cement; stick; link; affix; annex.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fasten \Fas"ten\, v. i.
To fix one's self; to take firm hold; to clinch; to cling.
[1913 Webster]
A horse leech will hardly fasten on a fish. --Sir T.
Browne.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
fasten
v 1: cause to be firmly attached; "fasten the lock onto the
door"; "she fixed her gaze on the man" [syn: fasten,
fix, secure] [ant: unfasten]
2: become fixed or fastened; "This dress fastens in the back"
[ant: unfasten]
3: attach to; "They fastened various nicknames to each other"
4: make tight or tighter; "Tighten the wire" [syn: tighten,
fasten]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
140 Moby Thesaurus words for "fasten":
address, adhere, affix, aim, anchor, annex, apply, attach, bang,
bar, barricade, batten, batten down, bed, belay, bind, bolt, bond,
bridle, button, button up, catch, cement, chain, choke, choke off,
cinch, clamp, clap, cleave, clinch, cling, close, close up, cohere,
concenter, concentrate, connect, constrict, contain, contract,
cover, cramp, devote, direct, embed, enchain, engraft, entrammel,
establish, fasten down, fasten up, fetter, fix, fixate, focus,
fold, fold up, fuse, graft, grapple, gyve, hamper, handcuff, hang,
hang up, hitch, hobble, hog-tie, hook, hook up, hopple, implant,
infix, join, key, knit, lash, latch, leash, link, lock, lock out,
lock up, lodge, make fast, make secure, make sure, manacle, moor,
occlude, padlock, peg down, picket, pin down, pinion, plumb, point,
put, put in irons, put to, put up, restrain, rivet, rope, screw up,
seal, seal off, seal up, secure, set, set to, settle, shackle,
shut, shut the door, shut up, slam, sling, snap, squeeze shut,
stick, straitjacket, strangle, strap, suspend, tether, tie,
tie down, tie up, tighten, train, trammel, trice up, trim, turn,
unite, wedge, zip up, zipper