I.
noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ big , large , major
▪ medium-sized
▪ small
▪ well-known
▪ successful
▪ prestigious
▪ established
▪ start-up ( esp. BrE )
▪
start-up ~s in the booming computer market
▪ private
▪ family
▪ international , multinational
▪ foreign
▪ local
▪ Boston-based , Tokyo-based , etc.
▪ accountancy ( esp. BrE ), accounting ( esp. AmE ), audit , auditing , consulting , engineering , law , manufacturing , marketing , PR , software ( esp. BrE ), etc.
▪ mail-order ( esp. BrE )
VERB + FIRM
▪ establish , found , launch , set up , start , start up ( esp. BrE )
▪
She set up her own software ~.
▪ head , head up , manage , run
▪ merge with
▪
They are likely to merge with a bigger ~.
▪ acquire , buy , buy out , take over
▪
The ~ was taken over by a multinational consultancy.
▪ close , close down
▪
the decision to close down the ~
▪ own
▪ work for
▪ join , leave
▪ employ , hire
▪
She hired a ~ of private detectives to follow him.
FIRM + VERB
▪ be based in sth
▪
a ~ called Data Inc., based in Chicago
▪ expand , grow
▪ merge
▪ compete
▪
Local ~s are finding it difficult to compete in the international market.
▪ operate
▪
US ~s operating in China
▪ close , close down , collapse , fail , go bust ( esp. BrE ), go into liquidation ( esp. BrE )
▪
The well-established ~ closed down with the loss of 600 jobs.
▪ develop sth , make sth , manufacture sth , produce sth , sell sth
▪ specialize in sth
▪
a ~ specializing in high-tech products
▪ employ sb , hire sb ( esp. AmE )
▪
The ~ employs 85 000 people around the world.
PREPOSITION
▪ in a/the ~ , within a/the ~
▪
the different departments within the ~
PHRASES
▪ a client of a ~
▪ a ~ of accountants, consultants, solicitors, etc. ( BrE )
▪ a partner in a ~
II.
adj.
1 solid/strong
VERBS
▪ be , feel , look , seem
▪ remain , stay
▪
Exercise is important if you want your muscles to stay ~.
▪ make sth
▪
Use extra stuffing to make the cushions firmer.
▪ keep sth
▪
exercises to keep your muscles ~
ADVERB
▪ extremely , fairly , very , etc.
2 not likely to change
VERBS
▪ be , sound
▪ hold , remain , stand
▪
Jo held ~: nothing else would do.
▪
We stand ~ on these principles.
ADVERB
▪ extremely , fairly , very , etc.
PREPOSITION
▪ with
▪
I have always been quite ~ with my children.
Firm is used with these nouns: ↑ action , ↑ adherence , ↑ advocate , ↑ assurance , ↑ base , ↑ basis , ↑ belief , ↑ believer , ↑ breast , ↑ buttock , ↑ chin , ↑ commitment , ↑ conclusion , ↑ conviction , ↑ date , ↑ decision , ↑ denial , ↑ diagnosis , ↑ discipline , ↑ dough , ↑ evidence , ↑ favourite , ↑ flesh , ↑ foothold , ↑ footing , ↑ foundation , ↑ friendship , ↑ government , ↑ grasp , ↑ grip , ↑ ground , ↑ grounding , ↑ guarantee , ↑ guidance , ↑ hand , ↑ handshake , ↑ hold , ↑ idea , ↑ impression , ↑ indication , ↑ instruction , ↑ intention , ↑ jaw , ↑ leadership , ↑ line , ↑ mattress , ↑ mouth , ↑ offer , ↑ order , ↑ plan , ↑ prediction , ↑ pressure , ↑ promise , ↑ recommendation , ↑ resolution , ↑ shake , ↑ smack , ↑ stance , ↑ stand , ↑ statement , ↑ stomach , ↑ support , ↑ surface , ↑ texture , ↑ thigh , ↑ tone , ↑ tug , ↑ voice