I. firm 1 S1 W1 /fɜːm $ fɜːrm/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: Italian ; Origin: firma 'signature' , from Latin firmare 'to show to be true' , from firmus ; ⇨ ↑ firm 2 ]
a business or company, especially a small one
electronics/advertising/law etc firm
She works for an electronics firm.
a firm of accountants/solicitors/builders etc
Kevin is with a firm of accountants in Birmingham.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + firm
▪ a large/big firm
He is managing director of a large firm.
▪ a small firm
He trained with a small firm in Cardiff.
▪ a medium-sized firm
The law will not effect medium-sized firms with less than 100 employees.
▪ an engineering/building/electronics etc firm
Fred worked for an electronics firm.
▪ a law/accounting/advertising etc firm
She was offered a job with a law firm.
▪ a British/American Swiss etc firm
British firms are competing with a number of foreign companies.
▪ a local firm
The equipment was supplied by a local firm.
▪ a foreign firm
There has been renewed competition from foreign firms.
▪ a family firm
The business grew from a small family firm into a large company.
■ phrases
▪ a firm of solicitors/accountants/surveyors etc
Ms Shaw is a partner in a firm of solicitors.
■ verbs
▪ work for a firm
Chris has been working for this firm for nearly 20 years.
▪ join a firm
He joined the firm when he was in his early twenties.
▪ leave a firm
She left the firm in 2007.
▪ a firm employs somebody
The firm employs more than 200 people.
▪ a firm produces something
Our firm produces computer software for the business market.
▪ a firm supplies something
The firm supplies office furniture to local businesses.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ company an organization that makes or sells something, or provides a service:
big oil companies
|
telephone companies
|
He runs a software company.
▪ firm a company, especially one that provides a service rather than producing goods:
a law firm
|
a firm of accountants
|
a security firm
▪ business a company – often used when talking about a company that employs only a small number of people:
She set up her own catering business.
|
small businesses
|
a family business
▪ corporation a large company that often includes several smaller companies:
IBM is one of the biggest corporations in the world.
▪ multinational a very large company with offices in many different countries:
American multinationals are establishing research and development facilities across the developing world.
▪ conglomerate /kənˈɡlɒmərət, kənˈɡlɒmərɪt $ -ˈɡlɑː-/ a very large company that consists of several different companies which have joined together:
The company was taken over by a German media conglomerate.
▪ giant a word used mainly by newspapers for a very large company:
Their clients include the retail giant, Wal-Mart.
▪ subsidiary a company that is owned by a larger company:
The company runs its New York operations through a US subsidiary.
II. firm 2 S3 W2 BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ firmness , ↑ infirmity , the infirm; adjective : ↑ firm , ↑ infirm ; adverb : ↑ firmly ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin firmus ]
1 . not completely hard, but not soft, and not easy to bend into a different shape OPP soft :
The sofa cushions are fairly firm.
a firm green apple
Most doctors recommend sleeping on a firm mattress.
2 . strongly fixed in position, and not likely to move SYN secure :
Make sure the ladder feels firm before you climb up.
A concrete foundation was poured after digging down to firm ground.
Mount the tanks side by side on a firm base.
3 . not likely to change
firm conviction/commitment/belief etc
Our client hasn’t reached a firm decision on the matter yet.
Blackpool remains a firm favourite with holiday makers from Northern Ireland.
Corey was always a firm believer in prayer.
They made a firm offer (=offered to pay a particular amount) on the house over the weekend.
Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens.
4 . showing in the way that you behave or speak that you are the person in control and that you are not likely to change your answer, belief etc:
Cal replied with a polite but firm ‘no’.
What this country needs is firm leadership.
be firm with somebody
You need to be firm with her or she’ll try to take advantage of you.
5 . HAND a firm grip/hold/grasp etc if you have something in a firm grip etc, you are holding it tightly and strongly:
He took a firm grip of my arm and marched me towards the door.
a firm handshake
6 . take a firm stand/line to state your opinion clearly and not be persuaded to change it
7 . stand/hold firm to not change your actions or opinions
stand/hold firm against
Jones is urging Christians to stand firm against abortion.
8 . a firm hand a strict way of dealing with someone:
These children need a firm hand.
9 . MONEY [not before noun] if the value of a particular country’s money is firm, it does not fall in value SYN steady
firm against
The pound is still firm against the dollar.
—firmly adverb
—firmness noun [uncountable]
III. firm 3 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to press down on soil to make it harder or more solid
firm something ↔ up phrasal verb
1 . to make arrangements, ideas etc more definite and exact:
We’re hoping to firm up the deal later this month.
2 . to make a part of your body have more muscle and less fat by exercising