firmとは 意味・読み方・使い方

発音

• (General American) IPA: /fɜɹm/, [fɚm]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /fɜːm/
• 韻: -ɜː(ɹ)m

語源 1

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”).

名詞

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.

派生語

語源 2

From 中期英語 ferme, from Old French ferme, from Latin firmus (“strong, steady”). Doublet of dharma.

形容詞

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:

     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.

同意語

派生語

副詞

firm (comparative more firm, superlative most firm)

1. (now rare) firmly, steadily

語源 3

From 中期英語 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.

動詞

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:

     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.

派生語

• firming agent

参照

Further reading

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

アナグラム

• FRIM, fMRI, frim