helm

¹

[helm]

noun

1. Nautical.

   1. a wheel or tiller by which a ship is steered.

   2. the entire steering apparatus of a ship.

   3. the angle with the fore-and-aft line made by a rudder when turned.

      15-degree helm.

2. the place or post of control.

   A stern taskmaster was at the helm of the company.

verb (used with object)

1. to steer; direct.

helm

²

[helm]

noun

1. Also called great helm. Also a medieval helmet, typically formed as a single cylindrical piece with a flat or raised top, completely enclosing the head.

2. Archaic.,  a helmet.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish or cover with a helmet.

helm

¹

/ hɛlm /

noun

1. nautical

   1. the wheel, tiller, or entire apparatus by which a vessel is steered

   2. the position of the helm: that is, on the side of the keel opposite from that of the rudder

2. a position of leadership or control (esp in the phrase at the helm )

verb

1. (tr) to direct or steer

helm

²

/ hɛlm /

noun

1. an archaic or poetic word for helmet

verb

1. archaic,  (tr) to supply with a helmet

Other Word Forms

• helmless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of helm¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English helm(e), Old English helma; cognate with Middle High German halme, helm “handle,” Old Norse hjalm “rudder”

Origin of helm²

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German helm; akin to Old English helan “to cover”; hull ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of helm¹

Old English helma; related to Old Norse hjalm rudder, Old High German halmo

Origin of helm²

Old English helm; related to helan to cover, Old Norse hjalmr, Gothic hilms, Old High German helm helmet, Sanskrit śárman protection

Idioms and Phrases

see at the helm.

Example Sentences

During Cook’s years at the helm, Apple hasn’t unveiled a revolutionary technology or introduced a new product that will reshape people’s lives the way the iPhone did.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Longtime lieutenant Gunnar Wiedenfels would helm Discovery Global, made up of the firm’s international businesses and basic cable channels, which face an uncertain future in the streaming era.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Edwards, 45, has not shied away from making changes during her first six months at the helm.

Read more on BBC

Lyons took the helm in May from Bisignano, who led Fiserv for five years and was tapped to lead the Social Security Administration.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Paramount on Wednesday was expected to cut 1,000 employees, the first wave of a deep staff reduction planned since David Ellison took the helm of the entertainment company in August.

Read more on Los Angeles Times