firm

firm
firm1
—firmly, adv. —firmness, n.
/ferrm/, adj., firmer, firmest, v., adv., firmer, firmest.
adj.
1. not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid: firm ground; firm texture.
2. securely fixed in place.
3. not shaking or trembling; steady: a firm voice.
4. not likely to change; fixed; settled; unalterable: a firm belief.
5. steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles: firm friends.
6. indicating firmness or determination: a firm expression.
7. not fluctuating much or falling, as prices, values, etc.: The stock market was firm today.
v.t.
8. to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes fol. by up): to firm up one's hold on something.
9. to steady or fix (sometimes fol. by up): to firm up prices.
v.i.
10. to become firm or fixed (sometimes fol. by up): Butter firms by churning.
11. (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover; become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes fol. by up): Stock prices firmed again today.
adv.
12. firmly: He stood firm.
[1300-50; < L firmus; r. ME ferm < MF < L]
Syn. 1. 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. 2. fast, stable, immovable. 4. established, confirmed. 5. determined, immovable, staunch, reliable.
Ant. 1. yielding, soft.
firm2
/ferrm/, n.
1. a partnership or association for carrying on a business.
2. the name or title under which associated parties transact business: the firm of Smith & Jones.
[1565-75; < Sp firma signature (hence, legal name of a partnership, etc.), n. deriv. firmar to sign < L firmare to strengthen, confirm, deriv. of firmus FIRM1]
Syn. 1. company, business, concern, house.

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Universalium. 2010.

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