Other forms: firms
Firm is solid when you press it, but not hard. A firm mattress, a firm peach, the firm ground at the edge of a bog: your thumb goes in a little and then stops.
The word moves from touch to manner without changing shape, giving a firm handshake, a firm grip, and being firm with a child who is pushing their luck. It also means settled and not going to change, as in a firm date, a firm offer, firm evidence, and stand firm means refuse to be moved. Then there is the noun, which looks unrelated and is: a firm is a business, above all a law firm or an accountancy firm. The verb firm up means make definite, as in let us firm up the details, and firmly is the everyday adverb.
1adjectivefirmSolid to press, but not hard.~2%
“Choose avocados that are firm but give a little under your thumb.”
2adjectivefixedSettled and not going to change.~4%
“We have a firm date for the wedding now.”
synonyms: definite, fixed
3adjectivestrictStrong and controlled, showing you will not be argued with.~2%
“She was firm with the children about bedtime.”
4nouncompanyA business, above all one selling professional services.~90%
“He joined a small law firm in Leeds.”
5verbarrangementTo make something more solid, or to make an arrangement definite.~2%
“Let's meet on Tuesday and firm up the plan.”
Shares are an estimate: a language model read 23 sentences found in the wild and placed 23 of them on a sense — a count of our sample, not a measurement of English.
The business firm came from Italian firma, a signature, from firmare, to sign, from Latin firmare, to make firm or confirm by signature, and behind that firmus, firm and stable. The modern sense grew up in the 18th century at the same time as German Firma, a business, and nobody has settled which language pushed which. A firm is the name signed at the bottom, the thing that makes the deal hold.
Proto-Indo-European
*dʰer-
Italian
firma — signature
English, today
firm
Built from
Borrowed from Italian firma (“signature”). 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. a doublet of dharma and dhamma. Other cognates include Russian держать (“to hold”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA