firm

firm
firm1 W1S1 [fə:m US fə:rm] n
[Date: 1700-1800; : Italian; Origin: firma 'signature', from Latin firmare 'to show to be true', from firmus; FIRM2]
a business or company, especially a small one
electronics/advertising/law etc firm
▪ She works for an electronics firm.
a firm of accountants/solicitors/builders etc
▪ Kevin is with a firm of accountants in Birmingham.
firm 2
firm2 W2S2 adj
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
1
2
3
4
5¦(hand)¦
6 take a firm stand/line
7 stand/hold firm
8 firm hand
9¦(money)¦
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: Latin firmus]
1.) not completely hard, but not soft, and not easy to bend into a different shape
▪ The sofa cushions are fairly firm.
▪ a firm green apple
▪ Most doctors recommend sleeping on a firm mattress.
2.) strongly fixed in position, and not likely to move
= ↑secure
▪ Make sure the ladder feels firm before you climb up.
▪ A concrete foundation was poured after digging down to firm ground.
▪ Mount the tanks side by side on a firm base .
3.) not likely to change
firm conviction/commitment/belief etc
▪ Our client hasn't reached a firm decision on the matter yet.
▪ Blackpool remains a firm favourite with holiday makers from Northern Ireland.
▪ Corey was always a firm believer in prayer.
▪ They made a firm offer (=offered to pay a particular amount) on the house over the weekend.
▪ Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens.
4.) showing in the way that you behave or speak that you are the person in control and that you are not likely to change your answer, belief etc
▪ Cal replied with a polite but firm 'no'.
▪ What this country needs is firm leadership.
be firm with sb
▪ You need to be firm with her or she'll try to take advantage of you.
5.) ¦(HAND)¦
a firm grip/hold/grasp etc
if you have something in a firm grip etc, you are holding it tightly and strongly
▪ He took a firm grip of my arm and marched me towards the door.
▪ a firm handshake
6.) take a firm stand/line
to state your opinion clearly and not be persuaded to change it
7.) stand/hold firm
to not change your actions or opinions
stand/hold firm against
▪ Jones is urging Christians to stand firm against abortion.
8.) firm hand
a strict way of dealing with someone
▪ These children need a firm hand .
9.) ¦(MONEY)¦ [not before noun]
if the value of a particular country's money is firm, it does not fall in value
firm against
▪ The pound is still firm against the dollar.
>firmly adv
>firmness n [U]
firm 3
firm3 W3 v [T]
to press down on soil to make it harder or more solid
firm up [firm sth<=>up] phr v
1.) to make arrangements, ideas etc more definite and exact
▪ We're hoping to firm up the deal later this month.
2.) to make a part of your body have more muscle and less fat by exercising

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Firm — or The Firm can have several meanings:*Any business entity such as a corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship. This more general meaning is used in macroeconomics (in terms such as ideal firm size). *The word firm is sometimes used in a… …   Wikipedia

  • firm — adj Firm, hard, solid are comparable chiefly as meaning having a texture or consistency that markedly resists deformation by external force. Firm (opposed to loose, flabby) suggests such closeness or compactness of texture or a consistency so… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 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;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • firm — firm1 [fʉrm] adj. [ME ferm < OFr < L firmus < IE base * dher , to hold, support > Sans dhárma, precept, law, Gr thronos, armchair] 1. not yielding easily under pressure; solid; hard 2. not moved or shaken easily; fixed; stable 3.… …   English World dictionary

  • firm — Ⅰ. firm [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) having an unyielding surface or structure. 2) solidly in place and stable. 3) having steady power or strength: a firm grip. 4) showing resolute determination. 5) fixed or definite: firm plans …   English terms 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • firm — n [German Firma, from Italian, signature, ultimately from Latin firmare to make firm, confirm] 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 …   Law 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.] [1913 Webster] And Jove has firmed it with an awful nod. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To fix or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • firm — [adj1] inflexible close, close grained, compact, compressed, concentrated, concrete, condensed, congealed, dense, fine grained, hard, hardened, heavy, impenetrable, impermeable, impervious, inelastic, jelled, nonporous, refractory, rigid, set,… …   New thesaurus

  • firm — Adj erw. fremd. Erkennbar fremd (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. fīrmus fest, sicher, stark , wohl in Anlehnung an ne. firm.    Ebenso ne. firm. Hierzu unmittelbar firmen, zu dessen lateinischem Vorbild auch Firma und Firmament gehören; ein… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • firm — adverb is used mainly in two fixed expressions, to stand firm and to hold firm to. In all other contexts the natural adverbial form is firmly: The bracket was firmly fixed to the wall …   Modern English usage

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