firm

¹

[furm]

adjective

firmer, firmest 

1. not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid.

   firm ground;

   firm texture.

   Antonyms: soft, yielding

2. securely fixed in place.

   Synonyms: immovable, stable, fast

3. not shaking or trembling; steady.

   a firm voice.

4. not likely to change; fixed; settled; unalterable.

   a firm belief.

   Synonyms: confirmed

5. steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles.

   firm friends.

   Synonyms: reliable, staunch, immovable, determined

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)

1. to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes followed byup ).

   to firm up one's hold on something.

2. to steady or fix (sometimes followed byup ).

   to firm up prices.

verb (used without object)

1. to become firm or fixed (sometimes followed byup ).

   Butter firms by churning.

2. (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover; become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes followed byup ).

   Stock prices firmed again today.

adverb

firmer, firmest 

1. firmly.

   He stood firm.

firm

²

[furm]

noun

1. a partnership or association for carrying on a business.

   Synonyms: house, concern, business, company

2. the name or title under which associated parties transact business.

   the firm of Smith & Jones.

firm

¹

/ fɜːm /

adjective

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

2. securely in position; stable or stationary

3. definitely established; decided; settled

4. enduring or steady; constant

5. having determination or strength; resolute

6. (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) horse racing (of a horse) to shorten in odds

firm

²

/ fɜːm /

noun

1. a business partnership

2. any commercial enterprise

3. a team of doctors and their assistants

4. slang

   1. a gang of criminals

   2. a gang of football hooligans

Other Word Forms

• firmly adverb
• firmness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of firm¹

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

Origin of firm²

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 firm ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of firm¹

C14: from Latin firmus

Origin of firm²

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Private markets are a realm that venture capital and private-equity firms typically dominate, along with institutional investors and corporate-backed investors — essentially everyone except retail investors.

Read more on MarketWatch

The brokerage firm that pioneered discount stock-trading for individual investors agreed to buy Forge Global, one of the major platforms that allows investors to buy shares in promising private companies.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Discovery’s board, including Zaslav, voted unanimously to reject Paramount’s offers and instead opened the auction to other bidders, which is expected to lead to the firm changing hands for the third time in a decade.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Anyway, the fun begins with Allura and Watts’ Liberty Ronson stalking away from the misogynistic law firm holding them back to open a boutique shop of their own.

Read more on Salon

“Based on the guidance, maintaining high 20%’s growth seems like a reasonable assumption through year end,” the firm wrote.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• adamant 
• consistent 
• determined 
• explicit 
• flat 
• persistent 
• resolute 
• specific 
• stable 
• staunch 
• steadfast 
• steady 
• strict 
• strong 
• tenacious 
• unflinching 
• unshakable 
• unwavering 
• unyielding