vast

Forms

vast (comparative vaster, superlative meest vast or vastst)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch vast, inherited from Old Dutch fast, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fastī, inherited from Proto-Germanic *fastuz (“firm, fixed”).^[2][1][3] The same word is Old Saxon fast, Old High German festi (modern German fest), Old Frisian fest (modern West Frisian fêst), Old English fæst (modern English fast) and Old Norse fastr, meaning “firm, fortified, sure”.^[2][4][3] Kroonen takes the Germanic adjective to be a u-stem, remade into a ja-stem in West Germanic, as in Old High German.^[3][5] Beside it stood the adverb *fastō, which gave vaste, fasto (modern fast (“almost”)) and fæste; in Dutch the adjective and adverb have fallen together.^[2][5] Derivatives are veste, vestigen, bevestigen and vesting.^[2]

Its further origin is uncertain.^[2] It is usually compared with Armenian հաստ (hast, “firm”) and perhaps Sanskrit पस्त्य (pastyá, “dwelling”), from a root Proto-Indo-European *ph₂st-.^[2][4][1] The Philippa dictionary prefers, after De Lamberterie (1980), a verbal adjective *ph₂s-tó- of the root that gave voeden, first meaning “protected”, which fits the early use for fortifications.^[2] Kroonen keeps Armenian but drops the Sanskrit word, and explains the root as a compound of *peh₂ǵ- (“to become firm”) and *steh₂- (“to stand”).^[3][1] An older link with vak, proposed by Schwabe in 1917, finds little support.^[4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old Dutch fast first appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century, in uue sal leiden mi an burg fastero, “who will lead me into the fortified city?”.^[2][7] About 1100 the Egmond Williram has vaste mura bin ich, “I am a strong wall”.^[2][8] The first Middle Dutch record is a Ghent text of 1237: so es tghebot uast ende ghestade, “then the rule shall remain firm and valid”.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch used the adjective for firm objects, fortified gates and walls, a lasting peace (vasten vreide, 1254) and steadfast minds; the adverb vaste “tightly” appears in 1260–1280.^[2][9] A text of 1446 speaks of the vaste aerde, the mainland, and many compounds end in -vast, such as bedvast “bedridden” and nagelvast “nailed down”.^[10]

From “firmly” the adverb weakened to “certainly”, as in vast en zeker, and to “in the meantime, already”, as in begin maar vast;^[2] English fast came to mean “quick” and German fast “almost”.^[2] Modern Dutch adds technical senses: vaste stof “solid”, a vaste telefoon “landline”, a vaste aanstelling “permanent post”.^[11][1] The saying zo vast als de bank refers to the proverbial security of the Bank of Amsterdam.^[12] In Brabant vast also means “shut”.^[13]

Afrikaans has vas, Berbice Dutch vasi “to fasten”, and Papiamentu fast;^[1][14] Sranan Tongo fasi or fasti passed into the Javanese of Suriname.^[1][14]

Timeline

• 901–1000 – Old Dutch fastero “fortified” in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^[2][7]
• c. 1100 – Vaste mura “a strong wall” in the Egmond Williram.^[2][8]
• 1237 – Middle Dutch vast in a Ghent text.^[2][9]
• 1254 – Vasten vreide “a lasting peace”.^[2]
• 1260–1280 – The adverb vaste “tightly”.^[2]
• 1446 – Vaste aerde “mainland”.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. firm, firmly attached, not movable: een vaste brug.^[11][1][5]
2. Fixed, not changing place or direction; stuck, unable to get out.^[11][1]
3. Steadfast, unwavering.^[11]
4. Sure, certain.^[11]
5. Unchanging, regular: vaste kosten, fixed costs.^[11][15]
6. Lasting, permanent: een vaste baan.^[11][15]
7. solid, not liquid or soft.^[11][1][15]
8. Of a telephone: using a landline.^[11][1]

Adverb

1. In the meantime, ahead of what follows: Ga maar vast zitten.^[11][2]
2. Surely, no doubt: Hij komt vast te laat.^[11][15]

Word family

• steevast
• vastberaden
• rotsvast
• vastbinden
• vastgoed
• vasthouden
• vastleggen
• vastlopen
• vastmaken
• vaststellen
• vastzitten
• alvast
• houvast
• veste
• vesting
• bevestigen

Related words

• vestigen
• vasten
• English fast
• German fest

Usage notes

Stoett also records zo vast als een muts met zeven keelbanden, “as firm as a cap with seven chin straps”, for something quite certain.^[12]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
6. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
7. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
9. ^ a b c Pijnenburg, W. J. J., et al. (2001), Vroegmiddelnederlands woordenboek: woordenboek van het Nederlands van de dertiende eeuw in hoofdzaak op basis van het Corpus-Gysseling, Leiden: Instituut voor Nederlandse Lexicologie; gtb.ivdnt.org
10. ^ a b Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
12. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
13. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2010), Brabants etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de woordenschat van Antwerpen, Brussel, Noord-Brabant en Vlaams-Brabant, Zwolle: Wbooks
14. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
15. ^ a b c d WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org