firm´ness

firm¹ «furm», adjective, verb.

–adj.

1. not yielding easily when pressed; solid; hard: »

firm flesh, firm ground.

2. not easily shaken or moved; fixed in place: »

a tree firm in the earth. Hope, as an anchor firm and sure, holds fast the Christian vessel and defies the blast (William Cowper).

SYNONYM(S): fast, secure, immovable, stable.

3. steady in motion or action: »

a firm step, a firm grasp.

4. not easily changed; determined; resolute; positive: »

a firm purpose, a firm character, a firm belief.

5. not changing; staying the same; stable: »

a firm price.

SYNONYM(S): enduring, constant, steady.

–v.t.

1. to make firm; solidify: »

to firm the soil around a newly planted tree.

2. a) to set or fix firmly in place: »

to firm a flagpole in its socket.

b) to hold (a thing) fast.

3. Obsolete. a) to establish, settle, or confirm (a person, etc.). b) to encourage.

–v.i.

to become firm.

╂[Middle English ferm < Old French ferme < Latin firmus]

–firm´ly, adverb.

–firm´ness, noun.

Synonym Study adjective. 1 Firm, hard, solid mean not yielding easily to pressure or force. Firm implies being so tough, compact, or stiff that it can not be easily bent, squeezed, or pulled out of shape: »

His muscles are firm.

Hard implies a surface difficult to dent or penetrate: »

The ground is too hard to dig.

Solid implies being so strongly built or uniformly dense as to withstand all pressure or force: »

We build houses on solid ground.

firm² «furm», noun.

1. a company of two or more persons in business together. It is distinguished from a corporation in that it is not considered a legal person.

2. the name or title used by such a company or partnership: »

the firm of Black and Sons.

3. any business concern.

╂[< Italian firma signature < Latin firmāre strengthen, establish < firmus firm, solid]