firm

¹

[ furm ]

adjective

, firm·er, firm·est.

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 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.

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

Derived Forms

• ˈfirmly, adverb
• ˈfirmness, noun

Other Words From

• firm·ly adverb
• firm·ness 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

That firm is owned by Cathy O’Neil, a data scientist and the author of Weapons of Math Destruction, one of the seminal popular books on AI bias, who has advocated for AI audits for years.

From MIT Technology Review

The firm that was portrayed, or at least was the inspiration for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” was Stratton Oakmont.

From ProPublica

His firm didn’t make the investment, but when the former Economist science writer took over, the company was able to nab a seed round from PG&E and SoCal Gas, California’s two massive utilities.

From TechCrunch

He worked on Wall Street and then established a successful private equity firm in Philadelphia.

From Washington Post

The firm wants Honor Court case files, “notes, findings and conclusions.”

From Washington Post

First, his credentials: He did international mergers and acquisitions at Lazard, a financial and asset management firm.

From The Daily Beast

But my sources, my young women and their mother, heroically held firm.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, as an almost purely advisory firm, Lazard is (appropriately) barely affected by the Dodd-Frank reforms.

From The Daily Beast

Currier and Ives was a printmaking firm based out of New York City from 1834 to 1907.

From The Daily Beast

Business questions are raised—who starts a PE firm and bails on it in a matter of mere months?

From The Daily Beast

Louis stood firm, though pale and respectful, before the resentful gaze of Elizabeth.

From Project Gutenberg

Their glances met, she holding him always at arm's length by that grip upon his shoulders, a grip that was firm and nervous.

From Project Gutenberg

The Spanish troops did not care to venture past a block of buildings in which were the offices and stores of a British firm.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, on the palm a small drop of blood showed distinctly against the firm, pink flesh.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of them, more imaginative, declared that Mrs. Charmington was even a sleeping partner in the saponaceous firm.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• association
• company
• conglomerate
• corporation
• enterprise
• organization