verb / noun
fast
Abstaining from food for a period.
He fasts before the medical test as his doctor instructed.
Etymology
Old English fæstan meant to abstain from food. The modern word preserves that established practice rather than deriving this sense from rapid movement.
More examples
- They ended their fast at sunset.
- She is fasting for a religious observance.
- The clinic explained how long the fast should last.
Forms
fast · fasts · fasted · fasting
Similar words
- abstain
- Needs context to indicate that food is being avoided.
- go without
- Broader deprivation, not necessarily voluntary avoidance of food.