firm

1
[ furm ]
See synonyms for: firmfirmedfirmingfirmly on Thesaurus.com

adjective,firm·er, firm·est.
  1. not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid: firm ground;firm texture.

  2. securely fixed in place.

  1. not shaking or trembling; steady: a firm voice.

  2. not likely to change; fixed; settled; unalterable: a firm belief.

  3. steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles: firm friends.

  4. indicating firmness or determination: a firm expression.

  5. not fluctuating much or falling, as prices, values, etc.: The stock market was firm today.

verb (used with object)
  1. to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes followed by up): to firm up one's hold on something.

  2. to steady or fix (sometimes followed by up): to firm up prices.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become firm or fixed (sometimes followed by up): Butter firms by churning.

  2. (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover; become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes followed by up): Stock prices firmed again today.

adverb,firm·er, firm·est.
  1. firmly:He stood firm.

Origin of firm

1
First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin firmus; replacing Middle English ferm(e), from Middle French ferm(e), from Latin

synonym study For firm

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.

Other words for firm

Opposites for firm

Other words from firm

  • firm·ly, adverb
  • firm·ness, noun

Other definitions for firm (2 of 2)

firm2
[ 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 of firm

2
First recorded in 1565–75; from Spanish firma “signature” (hence, legal name of a partnership), noun derivative of firmar “to sign,” from Latin firmāre “to strengthen, confirm,” derivative of firmus firm1

Other words for firm

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use firm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for firm (1 of 2)

firm1

/ (fɜːm) /


adjective
  1. not soft or yielding to a touch or pressure; rigid; solid

  2. securely in position; stable or stationary

  1. definitely established; decided; settled

  2. enduring or steady; constant

  3. having determination or strength; resolute

  4. (of prices, markets, etc) tending to rise

adverb
  1. in a secure, stable, or unyielding manner: he stood firm over his obligation to pay

verb
  1. (sometimes foll by up) to make or become firm

  2. (intr) Australian horse racing (of a horse) to shorten in odds

Origin of firm

1
C14: from Latin firmus

Derived forms of firm

  • firmly, adverb
  • firmness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for firm (2 of 2)

firm2

/ (fɜːm) /


noun
  1. a business partnership

  2. any commercial enterprise

  1. a team of doctors and their assistants

  2. British slang

    • a gang of criminals

    • a gang of football hooligans

Origin of firm

2
C16 (in the sense: signature): from Spanish firma signature, title of a partnership or business concern, from firmar to sign, from Latin firmāre to confirm, from firmus firm

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012