Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various devices used to fasten something securely.
  • noun Biology An organ or structure of attachment, especially the basal, rootlike formation by which certain seaweeds or other algae are attached to a substrate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun That which is used to secure and hold something in place; a catch; a hook; a clamp.
  • noun Support; hold.
  • Holding fast; firm; steady.
  • noun The root-like organ of attachment developed by many of the algæ. Also haptere and rhizoid.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Something used to secure and hold in place something else, as a long flat-headed nail, a catch a hook, a clinch, a clamp, etc.; hence, a support.
  • noun (Bot.) A conical or branching body, by which a seaweed is attached to its support, and differing from a root in that it is not specially absorbent of moisture.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Something to or by which an object can be securely fastened.
  • noun zoology A root-like structure that anchors aquatic sessile organisms, such as seaweed, other sessile algae, stalked crinoids, benthic cnidarians, and sponges, to the substrate.
  • noun archaic, medicine Actinomycosis.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb stick to firmly
  • noun restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

hold +‎ fast

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word holdfast.

Examples

  • But now of the holdfast, which is our special subject.

    Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 454 Volume 18, New Series, September 11, 1852 Various 1841

  • "bench-screw," as it is called; that is, a screw which passes through the bench into the back of the work, which may thus be turned about at will; also, if the work is very thick, they hold it in position by means of a bench "holdfast," a kind of combined lever and screw; but neither of these contrivances is likely to be required by the beginner, whose work should be kept within manageable dimensions.

    Wood-Carving Design and Workmanship George Jack 1894

  • Even at the risk of losing a little piece of history, most seem to holdfast to the idea of onwards and upwards.

    Ronda Carman: Out With the Old? Ronda Carman 2011

  • Even at the risk of losing a little piece of history, most seem to holdfast to the idea of onwards and upwards.

    Ronda Carman: Out With the Old? Ronda Carman 2011

  • We stopped along the way for (an enormous) brunch at The (infamous) Friendly Toast in Portsmouth New Hampshire, then visited Portland where (after some explorations prompted by missing the ferry because we couldn't find parking) joined yuki_onna and justbeast in their secret island holdfast. chang3002. met us on the ferry.

    last car to pass. here i go. marykaykare 2009

  • Benjen Stark remains aloof and unwelcoming to Tyrion as the Wall-bound party stops outside a holdfast.

    Archive 2010-01-01 2010

  • Benjen Stark remains aloof and unwelcoming to Tyrion as the Wall-bound party stops outside a holdfast.

    Episode 2: What comes next? 2010

  • Brown found a home and a holdfast in the written word, cultivating a profound and abiding belief in the illuminating power of literature.

    Brown, Rosellen. 2009

  • Benjen Stark remains aloof and unwelcoming to Tyrion as the Wall-bound party stops outside a holdfast.

    Entertainment Weekly mentions Thrones 2009

  • But the man they found bound hand and foot to the holdfast wall awaiting the king's justice was old and scrawny, not much taller than Robb.

    GRRM provides short casting update 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.