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firm
1
[furm] 
adjective, -er, -est, verb, adverb, -er, -est.–adjective
| 1. | not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid: firm ground; firm texture. |
| 2. | securely fixed in place. |
| 3. | not shaking or trembling; steady: a firm voice. |
| 4. | not likely to change; fixed; settled; unalterable: a firm belief. |
| 5. | steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles: firm friends. |
| 6. | indicating firmness or determination: a firm expression. |
| 7. | not fluctuating much or falling, as prices, values, etc.: The stock market was firm today. |
–verb (used with object)
| 8. | to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes fol. by up): to firm up one's hold on something. |
| 9. | to steady or fix (sometimes fol. by up): to firm up prices. |
–verb (used without object)
| 10. | to become firm or fixed (sometimes fol. by up): Butter firms by churning. |
| 11. | (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover; become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes fol. by up): Stock prices firmed again today. |
–adverb
| 12. | firmly: He stood firm. |
Origin:
1300–50; < L firmus; r. ME ferm < MF < L
1300–50; < L firmus; r. ME ferm < MF < L
Related forms:
firmly, adverb
firmness, noun
Synonyms:
1. Firm, hard, solid, stiff are applied to substances that tend to retain their form unaltered in spite of pressure or force. Firm often implies that something has been brought from a yielding state to a fixed or elastic one: An increased amount of pectin makes jellies firm. Hard is applied to substances so resistant that it is difficult to make any impression upon their surface or to penetrate their interior: as hard as a stone. Solid is applied to substances that without external support retain their form and resist pressure: Water in the form of ice is solid. It sometimes denotes the opposite of hollow: a solid block of marble. Stiff implies rigidity that resists a bending force: as stiff as a poker. 2. fast, stable, immovable. 4. established, confirmed. 5. determined, immovable, staunch, reliable.
1. Firm, hard, solid, stiff are applied to substances that tend to retain their form unaltered in spite of pressure or force. Firm often implies that something has been brought from a yielding state to a fixed or elastic one: An increased amount of pectin makes jellies firm. Hard is applied to substances so resistant that it is difficult to make any impression upon their surface or to penetrate their interior: as hard as a stone. Solid is applied to substances that without external support retain their form and resist pressure: Water in the form of ice is solid. It sometimes denotes the opposite of hollow: a solid block of marble. Stiff implies rigidity that resists a bending force: as stiff as a poker. 2. fast, stable, immovable. 4. established, confirmed. 5. determined, immovable, staunch, reliable.
Antonyms:
1. yielding, soft.
1. yielding, soft.
firm
2 [furm] –noun
| 1. | a partnership or association for carrying on a business. |
| 2. | the name or title under which associated parties transact business: the firm of Smith & Jones. |
Origin:
1565–75; < Sp firma signature (hence, legal name of a partnership, etc.), n. deriv. firmar to sign < L firmāre to strengthen, confirm, deriv. of firmus firm 1
1565–75; < Sp firma signature (hence, legal name of a partnership, etc.), n. deriv. firmar to sign < L firmāre to strengthen, confirm, deriv. of firmus firm 1
Synonyms:
1. company, business, concern, house.
1. company, business, concern, house.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To firm
| firm 1 (fûrm) adj. firm·er, firm·est
To make or become firm. Often used with up. adv. firmer, firmest Without wavering; resolutely: stand firm. [Middle English ferm, from Old French, from Latin firmus; see dher- in Indo-European roots.] firm'ly adv., firm'ness n. |
| firm 2 (fûrm) n.
[Italian firma, from firmare, to ratify by signature, from Medieval Latin firmāre, from Latin, to confirm, from firmus, firm; see dher- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Firm
Firm\, a. [Compar. Firmer; superl. Firmest.] [OE. ferme, F. ferme, fr.L. firmus; cf. Skr. dharman support, law, order, dh? to hold fast, carry. Cf. Farm, Throne.]1. Fixed; hence, closely compressed; compact; substantial; hard; solid; -- applied to the matter of bodies; as, firm flesh; firm muscles, firm wood. 2. Not easily excited or disturbed; unchanging in purpose; fixed; steady; constant; stable; unshaken; not easily changed in feelings or will; strong; as, a firm believer; a firm friend; a firm adherent. Under spread ensigns, moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion. --Milton. By one man's firm obediency fully tried. --Milton. 3. Solid; -- opposed to fluid; as, firm land. 4. Indicating firmness; as, a firm tread; a firm countenance. Syn: Compact; dense; hard; solid; stanch; robust; strong; sturdly; fixed; steady; resolute; constant.Firm
Firm\, n. [It. firma the (firm, sure, or confirming) signature or subscription, or Pg. firma signature, firm, cf. Sp. firma signature; all fr. L. firmus, adj., firm. See Firm, a.] The name, title, or style, under which a company transacts business; a partnership of two or more persons; a commercial house; as, the firm of Hope & Co.Firm
Firm\, v. t. [OE. fermen to make firm, F. fermer, fr. L. firmare to make firm. See Firm, a.]1. To fix; to settle; to confirm; to establish. [Obs.] And Jove has firmed it with an awful nod. --Dryden. 2. To fix or direct with firmness. [Obs.] He on his card and compass firms his eye. --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : firm
Spanish:
firme, sólido,
German:
fest,
Japanese:
しっかりとした
firm (adj.)
c.1378, from O.Fr. ferme, from L. firmus "firm, stable," from PIE base *dher(e)- "to hold, support" (cf. Skt. dharmah "custom, law," Gk. thronos "seat," Lith. dirzmas "strong," Welsh dir "hard," Breton dir "steel"). The return in late 1500s to -i- from M.E. ferme was modeled on the L.
firm (n.)
"business house," 1744, from Ger. Firma "a business, name of a business," originally "signature," from It. firma "signature," from firmare "to sign," from L. firmare "make firm, affirm, confirm (by signature)," from firmus "firm, stable" (see firm (adj.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: firm
Function: noun
Etymology: German Firma, from Italian, signature, ultimately from Latin firmare to make firm, confirm
1 : the name or title under which a company transacts business
2 : a partnership of two or more persons that is not recognized as a legal person distinct from the members composing it
3 : a business unit or enterprise
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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| FIRM flood insurance rate map |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
