Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of firm
"The real estate agents toured several firms before finally choosing the one with the best reputation for commercial properties."
In plain English: Firms are businesses that sell goods or services to make money.
"The firms in his pocket were hard enough to break if he sat down too quickly."
Usage: Use "firms" to refer to multiple business companies or professional organizations, such as law firms or consulting firms. Do not use this word when describing the physical texture of an object, which requires different terms like "hard" or "solid."
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of firm
"She firms her resolve before stepping onto the stage to give her speech."
In plain English: To firm something means to make it harder and less soft by pressing down on it.
"The manager promised that her position with the company would be made permanent after the new contract was signed."
Usage: When used as a verb in everyday contexts, to firm means to make something solid or less soft, such as firming up dough or tightening loose skin. This action implies increasing rigidity or stability rather than merely becoming more confident.
Firms derives from Old French ferme, which comes from Latin firmus meaning solid or stable. The term originally described something securely fixed before evolving to denote business entities with established stability.