fasten

Use the word "fasten" when two things are put together and secured by a clip, a screw, a bolt, a buckle, a button, a string, etc.

In the examples below, "fasten" is a verb:

• Fasten your seatbelt. (Put your seatbelt on and make sure it’s secure.)

• The shingles on the house are fastened by nails.
• They fastened the legs of the table by using large bolts.
• A man on the boat fastened the sail with a rope.
• The report was fastened together with a clip.

a clip

The word "fastener" is a noun:

• A few fasteners broke and the table fell apart.
• We have to replace a fastener on the door.
• Steel fasteners hold the machine together.

Note: The word "fasten" is just one of many words that have a silent "t" in the middle. Other words like this are whistle, listen, nestle, thistle, and castle.

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May 13, 2014