fasten
gb/fˈæsən/ us/fˈæsən/
A2
English
~ 8600
bekapcsol, becsatol, bezár, rögzít, felerősít, rászegez, összpontosít
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to fasten [something]; to fasten [something] with [something]
Please fasten your seat belt before we take off.
Kérem, kapcsolja be a biztonsági övét, mielőtt felszállunk.
It’s cold outside, so fasten your coat properly.
Hideg van odakint, ezért rendesen gombold be a kabátodat.
She fastened the door and checked the lock twice.
Make sure the lid is firmly fastened before you lift the box.
The child can’t fasten his shoes by himself yet.
Learner examples
Fasten your seat belt, please.
Kérem, kapcsolja be a biztonsági övét.
He fastened the door at night.
Éjszakára bezárta az ajtót.
She fastened her bag with a small lock.
I can’t fasten this button.
Fasten the box so it does not open.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "fasten" with "fix" or "repair" because of similar translations in other languages. "Fasten" means to close or secure (a belt, door, coat), not to repair something that is broken. Another common mistake is saying *"fasten with your seat belt"* instead of "fasten your seat belt".
Meaning
close or secure something
Collocations
fasten your seat belt
|fasten a button
|fasten a door
|fasten a window
|fasten a lid
|fasten with a zip
Synonyms
do up (More informal; often used especially for clothes and buttons.)
Antonyms
unfasten (Direct opposite; means to open or undo something that was fastened.)
Themes
daily life
|home
|travel
|daily_life
|clothing
|transportation
Definition
To close or lock something so it stays shut or does not move.
To make something such as clothing, a seat belt, a door, or a container closed and secure, usually with buttons, a zip, a buckle, or a lock.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to fasten [something] to [something]
They fastened the shelves to the wall with heavy-duty brackets.
Nehéz teherbírású konzolokkal rögzítették a polcokat a falhoz.
Please fasten the rope to the tree so the boat doesn’t drift away.
Kérlek, rögzítsd a kötelet a fához, hogy a csónak ne sodródjon el.
The label is fastened to the suitcase with a plastic loop.
You should fasten the cables to the back of the desk to keep them tidy.
The tent is fastened to the ground with metal pegs.
Learner examples
Fasten the picture to the wall with tape.
Rögzítsd a képet a falra ragasztószalaggal.
He fastened the rope to the boat.
A kötelet a csónakhoz rögzítette.
She fastened the sign to the door.
They fastened the table legs to the top.
Fasten the wire to the back of the TV.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "stick" or "glue" for all types of attaching. Use "fasten" when something is attached in a secure or mechanical way (with screws, ropes, straps, etc.), not with glue or tape only.
Meaning
attach something firmly to something
Collocations
fasten the rope to
|fasten shelves to the wall
|fasten the gate to the post
|fasten the strap to
|fasten with screws
Synonyms
attach (Very close in meaning; slightly more general and common in both physical and digital contexts.)
Antonyms
detach (Means to separate or remove something from what it is attached to.)
Themes
home
|construction
|daily life
|daily_life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To join or fix one thing to another so it stays there strongly.
To fix or attach something firmly to another object or surface so that it does not move or come off.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
3
rászegez
C1
összpontosít
B2
Usage pattern:
to fasten [eyes/attention/gaze] on/upon [something]
Her eyes fastened on the strange mark on the wall.
A szeme rászegeződött a falon lévő furcsa jelre.
The audience fastened their attention on the speaker’s every word.
A közönség minden figyelmét az előadó minden szavára összpontosította.
His gaze fastened upon the envelope lying on the table.
Reporters quickly fastened on a single mistake in the report.
The child’s interest fastened on the moving shadows.
Learner examples
Her eyes fastened on the red car.
A szeme rászegeződött a piros autóra.
The students fastened their attention on the teacher.
A diákok a tanárra összpontosították a figyelmüket.
His gaze fastened upon the open door.
My mind fastened on that one sentence.
The baby’s eyes fastened on the bright light.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use this sense without an object, for example *"He fastened"* to mean "He focused." It is normally used with an object like "eyes," "gaze," or "attention," plus "on/upon" something: "He fastened his eyes on the screen."
Meaning
fix eyes or attention on something
Collocations
fasten your eyes on
|fasten her gaze on
|fasten his attention on
|fasten on a detail
Synonyms
fix (In this sense, often used in the phrase "fix your eyes/gaze on"; slightly more common than "fasten" in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
look away (Expresses moving your eyes or attention away from something you were focused on.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To look at or think about one thing very strongly and not move your eyes or mind away from it.
To direct and keep your eyes, attention, or thoughts firmly on one particular thing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fasten
IPA
GB/fˈæsən/
US/fˈæsən/
Syllables & stress
fasten (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fasten)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: fasten
- 3rd Person Singular: fastens
- Present Participle: fastening
- Past: fastened
Word family
Forms
fastens
verb
fastening
verb
fastened
verb
Core family
fastener
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unfasten
verb
Expressions
fasten on
1/fˈæsən ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
formal
focus strongly on one thing
To give strong attention to one thing, often too much, and not think about other things. Often used about criticism or problems.
Examples
- The media fastened on his one careless comment.
- In their report, they fastened on the company’s past mistakes.
fasten something on someone
1/fˈæsən sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
phrasal verb
formal
unfairly place blame on someone
To make it seem that someone is responsible for something bad, especially when this is not true or not completely fair.
Examples
- They tried to fasten the responsibility for the failure on the new manager.
- The scandal was unfairly fastened on a single employee.
fasten together
1/fˈæsən təɡˈɛðɚ/
phrasal verb
join things securely together
To connect two or more things so they stay joined and do not come apart.
Examples
- Fasten the two pieces together with glue and screws.
- The panels are fastened together to form one long wall.
fasten up
1/fˈæsən ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
close clothes with buttons or zip
To close clothes, bags, or similar things by using buttons, a zip, or something similar.
Examples
- It’s cold outside; fasten up your coat.
- She fastened up her dress before leaving the house.
fasten your seat belt
1/fˈæsən jˈʊɹ sˈit bˈɛlt/
idiom
get ready for something intense
Get ready for something that may be difficult, exciting, or have a lot of changes, often used jokingly or to warn people.
Examples
- Fasten your seat belt—this meeting is going to be long and painful.
- Fasten your seat belt, because the next few months at work are going to be very busy.