Firm

6 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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
     business; a partnership of two or more persons; a commercial


     house; as, the firm of Hope & Co.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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 direct with firmness. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He on his card and compass firms his eye. --Spenser.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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; -- applied to the matter of bodies; as, firm
        flesh; firm muscles, firm wood.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Not easily excited or disturbed; unchanging in purpose;
        fixed; steady; constant; stable; unshaken; not easily
        changed in feelings or will; strong; as, a firm believer;
        a firm friend; a firm adherent.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Under spread ensigns, moving nigh, in slow
              But firm battalion.                   --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              By one man's firm obediency fully tried. --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Solid; -- opposed to fluid; as, firm land.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Indicating firmness; as, a firm tread; a firm countenance.
  
     Syn: Compact; dense; hard; solid; stanch; robust; strong;
          sturdly; fixed; steady; resolute; constant.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  firm
       adj 1: marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable;
              "firm convictions"; "a firm mouth"; "steadfast
              resolve"; "a man of unbendable perseverence";
              "unwavering loyalty" [syn: {steadfast}, {steady}, {unbendable},
               {unfaltering}, {unshakable}, {unwavering}]
       2: not soft or yielding to pressure; "a firm mattress"; "the
          snow was firm underfoot"; "solid ground" [syn: {solid}]
       3: strong and sure; "a firm grasp"; "gave a strong pull on the
          rope" [syn: {strong}]
       4: not subject to revision or change; "a firm contract"; "a
          firm offer"
       5: (of especially a person's physical features) not shaking or
          trembling; "his voice was firm and confident"; "a firm
          step"
       6: not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall; "stocks are
          still firm" [syn: {steady}, {unfluctuating}]
       7: securely established; "an established reputation"; "holds a
          firm position as the country's leading poet" [syn: {established}]
       8: marked by the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue; "firm
          muscles"
       9: pleasingly firm and fresh and making a crunching noise when
          chewed; "crisp carrot and celery sticks"; "a firm apple";
          "crunchy lettuce" [syn: {crisp}, {crunchy}]
       10: securely fixed in place; "the post was still firm after
           being hit by the car" [syn: {fast}, {immobile}]
       11: unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm
           ally"; "loyal supporters"; "the true-hearted soldier...of
           Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison;
           "fast friends" [syn: {loyal}, {truehearted}, {fast(a)}]
       n : members of a business organization that owns or operates one
           or more establishments; "he worked for a brokerage house"
           [syn: {house}, {business firm}]
       adv : with resolute determination; "we firmly believed it"; "you
             must stand firm" [syn: {firmly}, {steadfastly}, {unwaveringly}]
       v 1: become taut or tauter; "Yur muscles will firm when you
            exercise regularly"; "the rope tautened" [syn: {tauten}]
       2: make taut or tauter; "tauten a rope" [syn: {tauten}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  405 Moby Thesaurus words for "firm":
     Aktiengesellschaft, CIA, Central Intelligence Agency, Christian,
     abiding, accepted, adamant, adamantine, agency, airtight,
     aktiebolag, anchored, anneal, approved, at a standstill, atelier,
     authentic, authoritative, balance, balanced, ballast, barbershop,
     beauty parlor, beauty shop, bench, body corporate, bonded,
     bristling, bulky, business, business establishment, butcher shop,
     calcify, calculable, callous, canonical, cartel, case harden,
     cast-iron, cemented, certain, chamber of commerce, changeless,
     close, close-knit, close-textured, close-woven, combine,
     commercial enterprise, compact, compacted, compagnie, company,
     compressed, concentrated, concern, concrete, condensed, congested,
     conglomerate, conglomerate corporation, consistent, consolidate,
     consolidated, consolidating company, consortium, constant,
     continuing, conventional, cool, copartnership, cornify,
     corporate body, corporation, correct, counterbalance, crammed,
     crammed full, crawling, crowded, customary, decided, decisive,
     definite, dense, dependable, desk, determine, determined, devoted,
     diversified corporation, dogged, dour, durable, dustproof,
     dusttight, enduring, enterprise, establish, established,
     establishment, evangelical, exact, explicit, facility, fail-safe,
     faithful, faithworthy, fast, fastened, fiducial, firm as Gibraltar,
     firm up, firmly, fixed, fixedly, flat, flinty, fossilize, freeze,
     frozen, full, fundamentalist, gasproof, gastight, glued, gluey,
     going, grim, guaranteed, hard, hard-core, harden, harmless, heavy,
     hermetic, hermetically sealed, hidebound, hold, holding company,
     house, immobile, immobilize, immotile, immotive, immovable,
     immutable, impenetrable, impermeable, imperturbable, implacable,
     impliable, in equilibrium, indurate, industry, inelastic,
     inexorable, inflexible, infrangible, installation, institution,
     intact, intransigent, invincible, inviolate, invulnerable, iron,
     ironbound, ironclad, ironhanded, irreconcilable, irremovable,
     jam-packed, jammed, joint-stock association, joint-stock company,
     keep, lapidify, lasting, lightproof, lighttight, literal, lithify,
     loft, loyal, made of iron, marble-constant, massive, moored,
     muscle-bound, nail down, never-failing, nonporous, obdurate,
     obstinate, of the faith, oilproof, oiltight, operating company,
     organization, orthodox, orthodoxical, ossify, outfit, packed,
     parlor, partnership, pat, permanent, perpetual, persistent,
     petrify, pin down, plunderbund, pokerlike, pool, populous,
     positive, predictable, prevailing, procrustean, proper,
     proprietorship, public utility, purist, puristic, puritan,
     puritanic, quiescent, rainproof, raintight, ramrodlike, received,
     relentless, reliable, remaining, renitent, resolute, resolve,
     resolved, retain, right, rigid, rigorist, rigoristic, rigorous,
     riskless, rock-ribbed, rockbound, rodlike, rugged, scriptural,
     sealed, secure, serried, set, set on, set up, set upon,
     settle down, settled, shop, shut fast, smokeproof, smoketight,
     snug, solid, solidify, solidly, sot, sound, specific, stabilitate,
     stabilize, stable, standard, standpat, starched, starchy, stated,
     static, stationary, staunch, staying, steadfast, steadfastly,
     steady, steel, steely, stern, stick, stiff, stiff as buckram,
     stipulated, stock company, stormproof, stormtight, stout,
     straightlaced, straitlaced, strict, strong, stubborn, stuck,
     studio, sturdy, substantial, sure, surefire, sustained, swarming,
     sweatshop, syndicate, taped, taut, teeming, temper, tenacious,
     tense, textual, thick, thick-growing, thickset, tight, tightly,
     torpid, tough, toughen, trade association, traditional,
     traditionalistic, transfix, true, true-blue, trust, trustworthy,
     trusty, unaffected, unalterable, unaltered, unbending, unbreakable,
     unchangeable, unchanged, unchanging, unchecked, uncompromising,
     undangerous, undeflectable, undestroyed, undeviating, unfading,
     unfailing, unfaltering, unflappable, unflinching, ungiving,
     unhazardous, unmovable, unmoved, unmoving, unperilous,
     unprecarious, unqualified, unrelaxed, unrelenting, unrisky,
     unshakable, unshakeable, unshaken, unshifting, unswerving,
     unvaried, unvarying, unwavering, unyielding, utility, virgate,
     viscid, viscose, viscous, vitrify, warranteed, water-repellant,
     waterproof, watertight, wedged, well-balanced, well-built,
     well-constructed, well-founded, well-grounded, well-made,
     windproof, windtight, without nerves, work site, work space,
     workbench, workhouse, working space, workplace, workroom, workshop,
     worktable
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  FIRM. The persons composing a partnership, taken collectively, are called 
  the firm. Sometimes this word is used synonymously with partnership. 
       2. The name of a firm should be distinct from the names of all other 
  firms. When there is a confusion in this respect, the partners composing one 
  firm May, in some cases, be made responsible for the debts of another. For 
  example, where three persons carried on a trade under the firm of King and 
  Company, and two of those persons, with another, under the same firm, 
  carried on another partnership; a bill under the firm, and which was drawn 
  on account of the one partnership, was made the ground of an action of 
  assumpsit against the other. Lord Kenyon was of opinion that this company 
  was liable; that the partner not connected with the company that drew the 
  bill, having traded along with the other partner under that firm, persons 
  taking bills under it, though without his knowledge, had a right to look to 
  him for payment. Peake's N. P. Cas. 80; and see 7 East, R. 210; 2 Bell's 
  Com. 670, 6th ed.; 3 Mart. N. S. 39. But it would seem, 1st. That any act 
  distinctly indicating credit to be given to one of the partnerships, will 
  fix the election of the creditor to that company; and 2d. That making a 
  claim on either of the firms, or, when they are insolvent, on either of the 
  estates, will have the same effect. 
       3. When the style of the firm has been agreed upon, for example, John 
  Doe and Company, the partners who sign the name of the firm are required to 
  use such name in the style adopted, and a departure from it may have the 
  double effect of rendering the individual partner who signs it, personally 
  liable not only to third persons, but to his co-partners; Story, Partn. Sec. 
  102, 202 and it will be a breach of the agreement, if the partner sign his 
  own name, and add, "for himself and partners." Colly. Partn. B. 2, c. 2, 
  Sec. 2; 2 Jac. & Walk. 266. 
       4. As a general rule a firm will be bound by the acts of one of the 
  partners in the course of their trade and business, and will be discharged 
  by transactions with a single partner. For example, the payment or 
  satisfaction of a debt by a partner, is a satisfaction and payment by them 
  all; and a release to one partner, is in release to them all. Go. Litt. 232 
  n; 6 T. R. 525. Vide Partner; Partnership. 
       5. It not unfrequently happens that the name of the firm is the name of 
  only one of the partners, and that such partner does business in his own 
  name on his private or separate account. In such case, if the contract be 
  entered into for the firm, and there is express or implied proof of that 
  fact, the partnership will be bound by it; but when there is no such proof, 
  the presumption will be that the debt was contracted by the partner on his 
  own separate account, and the firm will not be responsible. Story on Part. 
  Sec. 139; Colly. on Partn. Book 3, c. 1, Sec. 2; 17 Serg. & Rawle, 165; 5 
  Mason, 176; 5 Peters, 529; 9 Pick. 274; 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 1442, et seq.