Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - fasten

~ v 1 »CLOTHES/BAG ETC« also fasten up a) to join together the two sides of a coat, shirt, bag etc so that it is closed  ("I'm going now," she said, fastening her coat. | Fasten your seat belt!)  (- opposite unfasten) b) to become joined together with buttons, hooks etc  (I was so fat that my skirt wouldn't fasten.) 2 »WINDOW/GATE ETC« a) to firmly close a window, gate etc so that it will not open  (Make sure all the windows are securely fastened before you leave.)  (- opposite unfasten) b) to become firmly closed  (This door won't fasten.) 3 »FIX STH TO STH« to fix something firmly to another object or surface, especially using tape, a metal pin etc  (fasten sth to sth)  (Someone had fastened a notice to my door. | Chains were fastened round his ankles.) 4 fasten your teeth/legs/arms etc  (to hold something firmly with your teeth, legs, arms, etc) + around  (She fastened her arms around his neck.) + onto/into  (The snake had fastened its jaws onto his leg.) 5 fasten your eyes on to look at someone or something for a long time  (He rose, his eyes still fastened on the piece of paper.) 6 fasten your attention on to think a lot about one particular thing 7 fasten blame on to blame someone or something, often unfairly fasten on/upon sth phr v to decide quickly and eagerly that an idea is the best one  (American companies were quick to fasten on to Japanese business methods.) fasten onto sb phr v to follow someone and stay with them, especially when they do not want you to