firm

• (General American) IPA^(key): /fɜɹm/, [fɚm]

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɜːm/

  • Audio (UK):

    (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)m

From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name of business”). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which. Doublet of dharma and dhamma. Other cognates include Russian держать (deržatʹ, “to hold”).

firm (plural firms)

1. (UK, business) A business partnership; the name under which it trades.
2. (business, economics) A business enterprise, however organized.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:enterprise

   • 2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71:

     Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. […] Banks and credit-card firms are kept out of the picture. Talk to enough people in the field and someone is bound to mention the “democratisation of finance”.

3. (slang) A criminal gang, especially based around football hooliganism.

From Middle English ferme, from Old French ferme, from Latin firmus (“strong, steady”). Doublet of dharma.

firm (comparative firmer, superlative firmest)

1. Steadfast, secure, solid (in position)

   It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands.

2. Fixed (in opinion).

   a firm believer; a firm friend; a firm adherent

   firm favourites

   • 2012 May 9, John Percy, “Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2-3 on agg): match report”, in the Telegraph‎^[1]:

     With such constant off-field turmoil Hughton’s work has been remarkable and this may have been his last game in charge. West Bromwich Albion, searching for a replacement for Roy Hodgson, are firm admirers.

3. Insistent upon something, not accepting dissent.

   He wanted to stay overnight, but I was firm with him and said he had to leave today.

4. Durable, rigid (material state).

   firm flesh; firm muscles, firm wood; firm land (i.e. not soft and marshy)

   • 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 219:

     Biblical criteria of sexual seductiveness include a white skin, black hair, or henna-dyed, scarlet lips, a prominent nose, rosy temples, long straight neck, firm breasts, round thighs, an erect posture.

5. Mentally resistant to hurt or stress.
   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 30:

     […] The life that almost dies in me:
     That dies not, but endures with pain,
     ⁠And slowly forms the firmer mind,
     ⁠Treasuring the look it cannot find,
     The words that are not heard again.

6. Not frivolous or fallacious; trustworthy; solid; dependable.
   • 1988 April 23, Elizabeth Pincus, “Moving To Meet The Needs Of Women In The Age Of AIDS”, in Gay Community News, page 7:

     Although facilitators of the workshop for lesbians and bisexual women attempted to address the concerns of lesbians, little firm information emerged.

   • 1999, Lucinda Dirven, The Palmyrenes of Dura-Europos:

     None of the Aramaic inscriptions from the Hellenistic and Roman period that are cited in support of this hypothesis that divine messengers are identified with their sender provide any firm proof to this respect.

firm (comparative more firm, superlative most firm)

1. (now rare) firmly, steadily

From Middle English fermen (“to make firm”), partly from (either through Old French fermer or directly) Latin firmō, from firmus (“firm”, adjective), and partly a new formation on the adjective.^[1]

firm (third-person singular simple present firms, present participle firming, simple past and past participle firmed)

1. (transitive) To make firm or strong; fix securely.
   • 2022 September 22, Harriet Alexander, “‘I’ve nothing to lose’: Dying whistleblower sued by ClubsNSW”, in Sydney Morning Herald‎^[2]:

     Stolz said the move by ClubsNSW had only firmed his resolve to keep fighting for the right to disclose information in the public interest about money laundering in registered clubs.

2. (transitive) To make compact or resistant to pressure; solidify.
3. (intransitive) To become firm; stabilise.
4. (intransitive) To improve after decline.
5. (intransitive, Australia) To shorten (of betting odds).
6. (transitive, colloquial) To grit one's teeth and bear; to push through something unpleasant.

   I know you aren't feeling well, but just firm it.

7. (transitive, UK, slang) To select (a higher education institution) as one's preferred choice, so as to enrol automatically if one's grades match the conditional offer.

• firming agent

• Firm in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

• FRIM, fMRI, frim

From English firm.

firm (Hong Kong Cantonese)

1. (of muscles) firm; strong; solid
   • 2006 July 6, “劉綽琪豐胸要襯身形”, in 東方日報‎^[3]:

     她說：「而家33C，size OK，但想再firm啲，不過亞洲女性唔可以好似鬼妹咁大，最緊要襯身形。 [Hong Kong Cantonese, trad.]
     她说：「而家33C，size OK，但想再firm啲，不过亚洲女性唔可以好似鬼妹咁大，最紧要衬身形。 [Hong Kong Cantonese, simp.]

     taa¹ syut³: “ji⁴ gaa¹ 33C, saai¹ si² ou¹ kei¹, daan⁶ soeng² zoi³ foem¹ di¹, bat¹ gwo³ aa³ zau¹ neoi⁵ sing³ m⁴ ho² ji⁵ hou² ci⁵ gwai² mui^6-1 gam³ daai⁶, zeoi³ gan² jiu³ can³ san¹ jing⁴. [Jyutping]

     She said, “[My breasts] are now 33C, the size is ok but I want it to be more firm. However [the breasts of] Asian women won't be as large as [those of] Caucasian women. Most importantly, they should match one's body shape.”

   • 2007 July 21, “王卉霖黃彥欣最投港男眼緣”, in 文匯報‎^[4], archived from the original on 5 November 2023:

     問到何以仍未修身，她表示：「我的三圍沒有變，但身形firm咗少少，體重無變唔緊要，最重要觀感OK。 [Hong Kong Cantonese, trad.]
     问到何以仍未修身，她表示：「我的三围没有变，但身形firm咗少少，体重无变唔紧要，最重要观感OK。 [Hong Kong Cantonese, simp.]

     man⁶ dou³ ho⁴ ji⁵ jing⁴ mei⁶ sau¹ san¹, taa¹ biu² si⁶: “ngo⁵ dik¹ saam¹ wai⁴ mut⁶ jau⁵ bin³, daan⁶ san¹ jing⁴ foem¹ zo² siu² siu², tai² cung⁵ mou⁵ bin³ m⁴ gan² jiu³, zeoi³ zung⁶ jiu³ gun¹ gam² ou¹ kei¹. [Jyutping]

     When asked why she had not loosen weight yet, she said “her measurements had not change, but the body shape is a bit more solid. It is fine if my weight did not change, most importantly the impressions should be good.”

2. firm; insistent; staunch
   • 2016 September 8, “葉劉好Firm”, in 蘋果日報 [Apple Daily]‎^[5], archived from the original on 21 June 2021:

     太古城居民丁女士解釋投票給葉劉的理由，是因為葉劉當年推銷第二十三條，有一幕是她坐在車上，示威者不斷辱駡她，而她仍氣定神閒看書，令丁女士「覺得佢個人好firm（堅定）」，故投她一票。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     太古城居民丁女士解释投票给叶刘的理由，是因为叶刘当年推销第二十三条，有一幕是她坐在车上，示威者不断辱骂她，而她仍气定神闲看书，令丁女士「觉得佢个人好firm（坚定）」，故投她一票。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     taai³ gu² sing⁴ geoi¹ man⁴ ding¹ neoi⁵ si⁶ gaai² sik¹ tau⁴ piu³ kap¹ jip⁶ lau^4-2 dik¹ lei⁵ jau⁴, si⁶ jan¹ wai⁶ jip⁶ lau^4-2 dong¹ nin⁴ teoi¹ siu¹ dai⁶ ji⁶ sap⁶ saam¹ tiu⁴, jau⁵ jat¹ mok⁶ si⁶ taa¹ zo⁶ zoi⁶ ce¹ soeng⁶, si⁶ wai¹ ze² bat¹ dyun⁶ juk⁶ maa⁶ taa¹, ji⁴ taa¹ jing⁴ hei³ ding⁶ san⁴ haan⁴ hon³ syu¹, ling⁶ ding¹ neoi⁵ si⁶ “gok³ dak¹ keoi⁵ go³ jan⁴ hou² foem¹ (gin¹ ding⁶)”, gu³ tau⁴ taa¹ jat¹ piu³. [Jyutping]

     Mrs Ting, a resident of Tai Koo Shing, explained her reason of voting for Regina Ip. When Regina Ip was promoting Article 23, there was a scene involved her sitting inside a car and protestors kept insulting her, but she still read a book unperturbed. This made Mrs Ting “thinks that she is a staunch person”, therefore she voted for her.

3. (neologism) awesome; fantastic; amazing; terrific
   • 2023 October 23, 理攻 [PolyTactic]‎^[6], 紅磚社學生報編委會 [RBS PressCom], page 25:

     你想要最firm最warm嘅hall life？咁就要嚟民殷堂呢個大家庭喇！ [Hong Kong Cantonese, trad.]
     你想要最firm最warm嘅hall life？咁就要嚟民殷堂呢个大家庭喇！ [Hong Kong Cantonese, simp.]

     nei⁵ soeng² jiu³ zeoi³ foem¹ zeoi³ wom¹ ge³ ho¹ life? gam² zau⁶ jiu³ lai⁴ man⁴ jan¹ tong⁴ ni¹ go³ daai⁶ gaa¹ ting⁴ laa³! [Jyutping]

     Do you want to have the most awesome and caring dorm experience? Then you should join the big family of Minyin Hall!

4. (neologism, of relationship between friends) close; intimate

firm

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) firm; business (Classifier: 間／间 c)
   • 2014 September 1, Benson, quotee, “情陷夜中環：上岸”, in 蘋果日報 [Apple Daily]‎^[7], archived from the original on 25 January 2021:

     「冇去邊間firm，辭職即係唔做嘢。」 [Hong Kong Cantonese, trad.]
     「冇去边间firm，辞职即系唔做嘢。」 [Hong Kong Cantonese, simp.]

     “mou⁵ heoi³ bin¹ gaan¹ foem¹, ci⁴ zik¹ zik¹ hai⁶ m⁴ zou⁶ je⁵.” [Jyutping]

     “It's not the question of me going to which firm, I'm quitting, that is, I won't be working.”

Clipping of English confirm.

firm

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to confirm; to finalize
   • 2012, 邵家臻, 黃鈺螢, 感情用事：關於好戲量十年‎^[8], →ISBN, page 267:

     她接著道：「也有的，他們需要時間process，但我們那邊的細節常常都未firm，我明白他們的難處，但這也是沒有辦法的事。」 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     她接著道：「也有的，他们需要时间process，但我们那边的细节常常都未firm，我明白他们的难处，但这也是没有办法的事。」 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     taa¹ zip³ zoek⁶ dou⁶: “jaa⁵ jau⁵ dik¹, taa¹ mun⁴ seoi¹ jiu³ si⁴ gaan³ pro¹ ses⁴, daan⁶ ngo⁵ mun⁴ naa⁵ bin¹ dik¹ sai³ zit³ soeng⁴ soeng⁴ dou¹ mei⁶ foem¹, ngo⁵ ming⁴ baak⁶ taa¹ mun⁴ dik¹ naan⁴ cyu³, daan⁶ ze² jaa⁵ si⁶ mut⁶ jau⁵ baan⁶ faat³ dik¹ si⁶.” [Jyutping]

     She then said, “Well there are [occasions with grumbles], they need time to process it but the details on our side is often not finalized yet. I understand their difficulties but it is what it is.”

   • 2016, 于日辰, 倫敦金2‎^[9], →ISBN, page 212:

     我就同佢哋講咗您係佢哋直屬上司，菲密時都簽咗紙Firm咗㗎喇！ [Cantonese, trad.]
     我就同佢哋讲咗您系佢哋直属上司，菲密时都签咗纸Firm咗㗎喇！ [Cantonese, simp.]

     ngo⁵ zau⁶ tung⁴ keoi⁵ dei⁶ gong² zo² nei⁵ hai⁶ keoi⁵ dei⁶ zik⁶ suk⁶ soeng⁶ si¹, fei¹ mat⁶ si⁴ dou¹ cim¹ zo² zi² foem¹ zo² gaa³ laa³! [Jyutping]

     I told them you are their direct supervisor, Famous [the boss] also signed documents and confirmed that.

firm

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) sure; certain

• English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese

Borrowed from Latin firmus.

• IPA^(key): /fɪʁm/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

firm (strong nominative masculine singular firmer, comparative firmer, superlative am firmsten)

1. (somewhat dated) experienced, well versed

   Synonyms: erfahren, bewandert

   • 1976 March 12, Heidi Dürr, “Kunstkenner per Post?”, in Die Zeit‎^[10]:

     Er, der—laut Prospekt—wie alle Mitarbeiter “eine hohe fachliche Qualifikation” aufweist und die Gewähr dafür bietet, “daß Sie Ihr Studienziel erreichen, ein Kenner antiker Gegenstände zu werden”, ist nach eigener Aussage lediglich Fachmann für Malerei und Graphik. Auf anderen Gebieten sei er gar “nicht so firm”.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• firmen

• “firm” in Duden online
• “firm” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

From Russian фирма (firma), English firm.

firm

1. company, firm

• M. Pahomov (2022), “firm”, in Lüüdi-venän, venä-lüüdin sanakirdʹ‎^[11], Helsinki: Lüüdilaine Siebr, →ISBN, page 40

• IPA^(key): /ˈfirm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -irm
• Syllabification: firm

firm f

1. genitive plural of firma

Borrowed from Spanish firma.

firm

1. signature

• chgoꞌo firm
• choꞌo firm

Borrowed from Spanish firme.

firm

1. firm, fixed

• Long C., Rebecca; Cruz M., Sofronio (2000), Diccionario zapoteco de San Bartolomé Zoogocho, Oaxaca (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 38)‎^[12] (in Spanish), second electronic edition, Coyoacán, D.F.: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 220