Adjacent Words

Firm definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FIRM, a. ferm. [L. firmus. This is the root of L. ferrum, iron.]
1. Properly, fixed; hence, applied to the matter of bodies, it signifies closely compressed; compact; hard; solid; as firm flesh; firm muscles; some species of wood are more firm than others; a cloth of firm texture.
2. Fixed; steady; constant; stable; unshaken; not easily moved; as a firm believer; a firm friend; a firm adherent or supporter; a firm man, or a man of firm resolution.
3. Solid; not giving way; opposed to fluid; as firm land.
FIRM, n. ferm. A partnership or house; or the name or title under which a company transact business; as the firm of Hope _ Co.
FIRM, v.t. ferm. [L. firmo.] To fix; to settle; to confirm; to establish.
And Jove has firm'd it with an awful nod.
This word is rarely used, except in poetry. In prose, we use confirm.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable; "firm convictions"; "a firm mouth"; "steadfast resolve"; "a man of unbendable perseverence"; "unwavering loyalty" [syn: firm, steadfast, steady, stiff, unbendable, unfaltering, unshakable, unwavering]
2: not soft or yielding to pressure; "a firm mattress"; "the snow was firm underfoot"; "solid ground" [syn: firm, solid]
3: strong and sure; "a firm grasp"; "gave a strong pull on the rope" [syn: firm, strong]
4: not subject to revision or change; "a firm contract"; "a firm offer"
5: (of especially a person's physical features) not shaking or trembling; "his voice was firm and confident"; "a firm step"
6: not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall; "stocks are still firm" [syn: firm, steady, unfluctuating]
7: securely established; "holds a firm position as the country's leading poet"
8: possessing the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue; "firm muscles"
9: securely fixed in place; "the post was still firm after being hit by the car" [syn: fast, firm, immobile]
10: unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm ally"; "loyal supporters"; "the true-hearted soldier...of Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; "fast friends" [syn: firm, loyal, truehearted, fast] n
1: the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; "he worked for a brokerage house" [syn: firm, house, business firm] v
1: become taut or tauter; "Your muscles will firm when you exercise regularly"; "the rope tautened" [syn: tauten, firm]
2: make taut or tauter; "tauten a rope" [syn: tauten, firm] adv
1: with resolute determination; "we firmly believed it"; "you must stand firm" [syn: firm, firmly, steadfastly, unwaveringly]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English ferm, from Anglo-French, from Latin firmus; akin to Greek thronos chair, throne Date: 14th century 1. a. securely or solidly fixed in place b. not weak or uncertain ; vigorous c. having a solid or compact structure that resists stress or pressure 2. a. (1) not subject to change or revision (2) not subject to price weakness ; steady b. not easily moved or disturbed ; steadfast c. well-founded 3. indicating firmness or resolution <a firm mouth> • firmly adverb • firmness noun II. adverb Date: 14th century in a firm manner ; steadfastly, fixedly III. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to make secure or fast ; tighten <firming her grip on the racquet> — often used with up b. to make solid or compact <firm the soil> 2. to put into final form ; settle <firm a contract> <firm up plans> 3. to give additional support to ; strengthen — usually used with up intransitive verb 1. to become firm ; harden — often used with up 2. to recover from a decline ; improve <the market is firming> IV. noun Etymology: German Firma, from Italian, signature, ultimately from Latin firmare to make firm, confirm, from firmus Date: 1744 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

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj., adv., & v. --adj. 1 a of solid or compact structure. b fixed, stable. c steady; not shaking. 2 a resolute, determined. b not easily shaken (firm belief). c steadfast, constant (a firm friend). 3 a (of an offer etc.) not liable to cancellation after acceptance. b (of a decree, law, etc.) established, immutable. 4 Commerce (of prices or goods) maintaining their level or value. --adv. firmly (stand firm; hold firm to). --v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become firm, secure, compact, or solid. 2 tr. fix (plants) firmly in the soil. Derivatives: firmly adv. firmness n. Etymology: ME f. OF ferme f. L firmus 2. n. 1 a a business concern. b the partners in such a concern. 2 a group of persons working together, esp. of hospital doctors and assistants. Etymology: earlier = signature, style: Sp. & It. firma f. med.L, f. L firmare confirm f. firmus FIRM(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(firms, firmer, firmest) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A firm is an organization which sells or produces something or which provides a service which people pay for. The firm's employees were expecting large bonuses. ...a firm of heating engineers. = company N-COUNT 2. If something is firm, it does not change much in shape when it is pressed but is not completely hard. Fruit should be firm and in excellent condition... Choose a soft, medium or firm mattress to suit their individual needs. ? soft ADJ 3. If something is firm, it does not shake or move when you put weight or pressure on it, because it is strongly made or securely fastened. If you have to climb up, use a firm platform or a sturdy ladder. = secure ADJ • firmly The front door is locked and all the windows are firmly shut. ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 4. If someone's grip is firm or if they perform a physical action in a firm way, they do it with quite a lot of force or pressure but also in a controlled way. The quick handshake was firm and cool... He managed to grasp the metal, get a firm grip of it and heave his body upwards. = strong ADJ • firmly She held me firmly by the elbow and led me to my aisle seat. ADV: ADV after v 5. If you describe someone as firm, you mean they behave in a way that shows that they are not going to change their mind, or that they are the person who is in control. She had to be firm with him. 'I don't want to see you again.'... Perhaps they need the guiding hand of a firm father figure. ADJ: oft ADJ with n • firmly 'A good night's sleep is what you want,' he said firmly. ADV: ADV with v 6. A firm decision or opinion is definite and unlikely to change. He made a firm decision to leave Fort Multry by boat... It is my firm belief that an effective partnership approach between police and the public is absolutely necessary. = definite ADJ: usu ADJ n • firmly He is firmly convinced that it is vital to do this. = strongly ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 7. Firm evidence or information is based on facts and so is likely to be true. There's unlikely to be firm news about the convoy's progress for some time. = hard, definite ADJ: ADJ n 8. You use firm to describe control or a basis or position when it is strong and unlikely to be ended or removed. Although the Yakutians are a minority, they have firm control of the territory... = secure ADJ: usu ADJ n • firmly This tradition is also firmly rooted in the past... = securely ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 9. If a price, value, or currency is firm, it is not decreasing in value or amount. Cotton prices remain firm and demand is strong... The shares held firm at 280p... = steady ADJ • firmness ...the firmness of the dollar against other currencies. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n 10. If someone stands firm, they refuse to change their mind about something. The council is standing firm against the barrage of protest... PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Compact, compressed, solid, dense, hard, not soft, not fluid. 2. Fixed, fast, rooted, established, settled, confirmed, stable, secure, immovable. 3. Steady, steadfast, unshaken, resolute, stanch, constant. 4. Strong, robust, sinewy, sturdy. II. n. Concern, house, company, partnership.

Moby Thesaurus

Aktiengesellschaft, CIA, Central Intelligence Agency, Christian, abiding, accepted, adamant, adamantine, agency, airtight, aktiebolag, anchored, anneal, approved, at a standstill, atelier, authentic, authoritative, balance, balanced, ballast, barbershop, beauty parlor, beauty shop, bench, body corporate, bonded, bristling, bulky, business, business establishment, butcher shop, calcify, calculable, callous, canonical, cartel, case harden, cast-iron, cemented, certain, chamber of commerce, changeless, close, close-knit, close-textured, close-woven, combine, commercial enterprise, compact, compacted, compagnie, company, compressed, concentrated, concern, concrete, condensed, congested, conglomerate, conglomerate corporation, consistent, consolidate, consolidated, consolidating company, consortium, constant, continuing, conventional, cool, copartnership, cornify, corporate body, corporation, correct, counterbalance, crammed, crammed full, crawling, crowded, customary, decided, decisive, definite, dense, dependable, desk, determine, determined, devoted, diversified corporation, dogged, dour, durable, dustproof, dusttight, enduring, enterprise, establish, established, establishment, evangelical, exact, explicit, facility, fail-safe, faithful, faithworthy, fast, fastened, fiducial, firm as Gibraltar, firm up, firmly, fixed, fixedly, flat, flinty, fossilize, freeze, frozen, full, fundamentalist, gasproof, gastight, glued, gluey, going, grim, guaranteed, hard, hard-core, harden, harmless, heavy, hermetic, hermetically sealed, hidebound, hold, holding company, house, immobile, immobilize, immotile, immotive, immovable, immutable, impenetrable, impermeable, imperturbable, implacable, impliable, in equilibrium, indurate, industry, inelastic, inexorable, inflexible, infrangible, installation, institution, intact, intransigent, invincible, inviolate, invulnerable, iron, ironbound, ironclad, ironhanded, irreconcilable, irremovable, jam-packed, jammed, joint-stock association, joint-stock company, keep, lapidify, lasting, lightproof, lighttight, literal, lithify, loft, loyal, made of iron, marble-constant, massive, moored, muscle-bound, nail down, never-failing, nonporous, obdurate, obstinate, of the faith, oilproof, oiltight, operating company, organization, orthodox, orthodoxical, ossify, outfit, packed, parlor, partnership, pat, permanent, perpetual, persistent, petrify, pin down, plunderbund, pokerlike, pool, populous, positive, predictable, prevailing, procrustean, proper, proprietorship, public utility, purist, puristic, puritan, puritanic, quiescent, rainproof, raintight, ramrodlike, received, relentless, reliable, remaining, renitent, resolute, resolve, resolved, retain, right, rigid, rigorist, rigoristic, rigorous, riskless, rock-ribbed, rockbound, rodlike, rugged, scriptural, sealed, secure, serried, set, set on, set up, set upon, settle down, settled, shop, shut fast, smokeproof, smoketight, snug, solid, solidify, solidly, sot, sound, specific, stabilitate, stabilize, stable, standard, standpat, starched, starchy, stated, static, stationary, staunch, staying, steadfast, steadfastly, steady, steel, steely, stern, stick, stiff, stiff as buckram, stipulated, stock company, stormproof, stormtight, stout, straightlaced, straitlaced, strict, strong, stubborn, stuck, studio, sturdy, substantial, sure, surefire, sustained, swarming, sweatshop, syndicate, taped, taut, teeming, temper, tenacious, tense, textual, thick, thick-growing, thickset, tight, tightly, torpid, tough, toughen, trade association, traditional, traditionalistic, transfix, true, true-blue, trust, trustworthy, trusty, unaffected, unalterable, unaltered, unbending, unbreakable, unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unchecked, uncompromising, undangerous, undeflectable, undestroyed, undeviating, unfading, unfailing, unfaltering, unflappable, unflinching, ungiving, unhazardous, unmovable, unmoved, unmoving, unperilous, unprecarious, unqualified, unrelaxed, unrelenting, unrisky, unshakable, unshakeable, unshaken, unshifting, unswerving, unvaried, unvarying, unwavering, unyielding, utility, virgate, viscid, viscose, viscous, vitrify, warranteed, water-repellant, waterproof, watertight, wedged, well-balanced, well-built, well-constructed, well-founded, well-grounded, well-made, windproof, windtight, without nerves, work site, work space, workbench, workhouse, working space, workplace, workroom, workshop, worktable