The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
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 — 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
