swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.
returned the ball with one swift stroke
fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.
fleet runners
quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.
a quick wit
speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment
speedy delivery of mail
and may also suggest unusual velocity.
hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.
a hasty inspection
expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.
the expeditious handling of an order
Example Sentences
Adjective She's a very fast runner. We're off to a fast start. We're now experiencing a faster rate of inflation. We took the faster route. Adverb The boss expects this to be done this afternoon, so you'd better work fast. He ran as fast as he could. This is fast becoming a national problem. You need to act fast to take advantage of this offer. I don't know what caused the accident. It all happened so fast. She's a woman who can think fast in a crisis. He's going to have to talk fast to get himself out of this mess. The window was stuck fast. She held fast to her belief in justice. We must stand fast and not surrender! Verb She always fasts on Yom Kippur. Patients must fast for six hours before having the procedure. See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Adverb
Middle English, from Old English fæst; akin to Old High German festi firm, Old Norse fastr, Armenian hast
Verb and Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English fæstan
Noun (2)
alteration of Middle English fest, from Old Norse festr rope, mooring cable, from fastr firm
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1