FIRM

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does firm mean? 

• FIRM (noun)
  The noun FIRM has 1 sense:

1. the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments

  Familiarity information: FIRM used as a noun is very rare.

• FIRM (adjective)
  The adjective FIRM has 10 senses:

1. marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

2. not soft or yielding to pressure

3. strong and sure

4. not subject to revision or change

5. (of especially a person's physical features) not shaking or trembling

6. not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall

7. securely established

8. possessing the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue

9. securely fixed in place

10. unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause

  Familiarity information: FIRM used as an adjective is familiar.

• FIRM (verb)
  The verb FIRM has 2 senses:

1. become taut or tauter

2. make taut or tauter

  Familiarity information: FIRM used as a verb is rare.

• FIRM (adverb)
  The adverb FIRM has 1 sense:

1. with resolute determination

  Familiarity information: FIRM used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FIRM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

business firm; firm; house

Context example:

he worked for a brokerage house

Hypernyms ("firm" is a kind of...):

business; business concern; business organisation; business organization; concern (a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "firm"):

corp; corporation (a business firm whose articles of incorporation have been approved in some state)

accounting firm (a firm of accountants who provide accounting and auditing services for a fee)

consulting company; consulting firm (a firm of experts providing professional advice to an organization for a fee)

publisher; publishing company; publishing firm; publishing house (a firm in the publishing business)

dealer (a firm engaged in trading)

law firm (a firm of lawyers)

auction house (a firm that conducts auctions)

• FIRM (adjective)

Comparative: firmer   
Superlative: firmest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

Synonyms:

firm; steadfast; steady; stiff; unbendable; unfaltering; unshakable; unwavering

Context example:

unwavering loyalty

Similar:

resolute (firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination)

Derivation:

firmness (the trait of being resolute)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not soft or yielding to pressure

Synonyms:

firm; solid

Context example:

solid ground

Similar:

hard (resisting weight or pressure)

Derivation:

firmness (the property of being unyielding to the touch)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Strong and sure

Synonyms:

firm; strong

Context example:

gave a strong pull on the rope

Similar:

forceful (characterized by or full of force or strength (often but not necessarily physical))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not subject to revision or change

Context example:

a firm offer

Similar:

settled (established or decided beyond dispute or doubt)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(of especially a person's physical features) not shaking or trembling

Context example:

a firm step

Similar:

steady (not subject to change or variation especially in behavior)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall

Synonyms:

firm; steady; unfluctuating

Context example:

stocks are still firm

Similar:

stable (resistant to change of position or condition)

Derivation:

firmness (the quality of being steady or securely and immovably fixed in place)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Securely established

Context example:

holds a firm position as the country's leading poet

Similar:

secure (free from danger or risk)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Possessing the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue

Context example:

firm muscles

Similar:

healthy (having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease)

Derivation:

firmness (the muscle tone of healthy tissue)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Securely fixed in place

Synonyms:

fast; firm; immobile

Context example:

the post was still firm after being hit by the car

Similar:

fixed (securely placed or fastened or set)

Derivation:

firmness (the quality of being steady or securely and immovably fixed in place)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause

Synonyms:

fast; firm; loyal; truehearted

Context example:

fast friends

Similar:

faithful (steadfast in affection or allegiance)

Derivation:

firmness (the trait of being resolute)

• FIRM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they firm    ... he / she / it firms   
Past simple: firmed   
Past participle: firmed   
-ing form: firming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become taut or tauter

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

firm; tauten

Context example:

the rope tautened

Hypernyms (to "firm" is one way to...):

tighten (become tight or tighter)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make taut or tauter

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

firm; tauten

Context example:

tauten a rope

Hypernyms (to "firm" is one way to...):

fasten; tighten (make tight or tighter)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

• FIRM (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

With resolute determination

Synonyms:

firm; firmly; steadfastly; unwaveringly

Context example:

you must stand firm

 Context examples 

Trot, have you got to be firm and self-reliant?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Or you may receive an offer from a competitive firm.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Signs and symptoms include firm and painful swelling of the salivary gland, often associated with the presence of salivary gland stones.

(Chronic Sclerosing Sialadenitis, NCI Thesaurus)

A base composed of bonding agents intermingled with active and/or inert ingredient(s), which rapidly hardens into a firm mass upon application.

(Cement Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

It usually presents as a unilateral, firm, painless breast mass.

(Benign Phyllodes Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

It presents as a single, firm, and painless mass.

(Breast Granular Cell Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)

Her kiss would be like her hand-shake or the way she looked at one, firm and frank.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He spoke softly to White Fang until he had quieted him, then his voice became firm.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

It is characterized by discrete, firm, skin-colored, and slightly elevated cutaneous papules, nodules or plaques that may be generalized, or found on the trunk and the extremities.

(Eruptive Collagenoma, NCI Thesaurus)

I felt some little satisfaction in finding myself on firm ground.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)