# fasting

Pronunciation: US say "FAS-ting" /ˈfæstɪŋ/; UK say "FAHS-ting" /ˈfɑːstɪŋ/

## Noun

1. Abstinence or self-denial undertaken for religious reasons, especially refraining from food.
   - Simple: Going without food or other comforts as part of religious practice.
   - _The monks observe strict fasting throughout Lent._
   - _For many believers, fasting accompanies prayer as a path to spiritual focus._
2. The practice of doing without food, or cutting back on calories, for a period of time in order to lose weight or for medical or health reasons.
   - Simple: Going without food, or eating much less, to lose weight or improve health.
   - _Intermittent fasting has become a popular approach to weight management._
   - _Patients are required to complete a period of fasting before the surgery._

## Verb

3. Present participle of fast. — present participle and gerund of fast
   - Simple: Present participle of fast. Use this -ing form when someone is going without food right now.
   - _He has been fasting since dawn for spiritual reasons._
   - _The patients are fasting before their morning procedures._

## Origin

Formed from "fast" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/fasting (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).