firm

firm
1 noun (C) a business or company, especially a small one : electronics/advertising/law etc firm: She works for an electronics firm. | a firm of accountants/solicitors etc: Kevin is with a firm of accountants in Birmingham. 2 adjective
1 HARD 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
2 NOT LIKELY TO MOVE strong or fixed in position, and not likely to move or break: The ladder felt strong and firm.
3 NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE firm decisions, beliefs etc are not likely to change, because you are sure about them: The client hasn't reached a firm decision on the matter yet.
4 STRONG AND IN CONTROL behaving or speaking in a way that is strong and that shows you are not likely to change your answer, belief etc: Cal replied with a polite but firm `no'. | The country needs firm leadership. | be firm with sb: You need to be firm with her, or she'll try to take control.
5 a firm grip/hold/grasp if you have something in a firm hold you are holding it tightly and strongly: He took a firm grip of my arm and marched me towards the door. | a firm handshake (=in which you hold the other person's hand strongly or tightly)
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: Gothard is urging Christians to stand firm against divorce.
8 MONEY not falling in value: The pound was still firm against the dollar this morning.
—see also: firm offer — firmly adverb — firmness noun (U) 3 verb (T) to press down on soil to make it harder or more solid firm sth up phrasal verb (T)
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

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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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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