Fastness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɑːs(t)nəs/

Definitions

1. The quality of being fixed firmly or securely ; a protected or fortified location used for defense
2. Being tightly fastened or securely fixed in place ; a building or place fortified against attack
3. The condition of being immovably set or securely attached ; a stronghold designed to resist assault

Etymology: Fastness is one of those words that has drifted far from its root sense. Its ancestor in Old English, "fæstnes", meant firmness, stability and steadfastness, and it was built simply by adding the suffix "-nes", which forms abstract nouns of quality or state, to "fæst", meaning firm, fixed or secure. The same root gave English the adjective "fast" in its sense of holding tight or staying put. The Old English word was used broadly. It could describe the firmament, the solid vault of heaven, as well as fortifications, a sturdy physical defence. Over the Middle English period the range widened to include the constancy of a person's loyalty, the soundness of sleep, and even the healing of a wound. Today the word is mostly met in the sense of a stronghold, a place made secure by natural or built defences, which is a concrete application of that original idea of firmness.

Synonyms: fortress, stronghold, security, safety, stability

Antonyms: weakness, vulnerability, instability, insecurity, fragility