Direct Cross-Language Association: “firm” in German

This word also exists in German! Meaning: “(somewhat dated) experienced, well versed”

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firm

ENEnglish
//fɜɹm//(General American)

Direct German Translations & Equivalents:

Click any term below to jump straight to its full vocabulary entry in German:

Verb Conjugation Tables & Inflections

Key Verb Forms & Inflections
Third-person singular (he/she/it):firms
Present Participle (-ing):firming
Past Participle:firmed
Simple Past:firmed

Definitions & Usage

noun
#1

(UK, business) A business partnership; the name under which it trades.

Translations:[DE]Firma
noun
#2

(business, economics) A business enterprise, however organized.

Translations:[DE]Firma
noun
#3

(slang) A criminal gang, especially based around football hooliganism.

Translations:
adjective
#4

Steadfast, secure, solid (in position)

Example: It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands.
Synonyms:
adjective
#5

Fixed (in opinion).

Example: a firm believer; a firm friend; a firm adherent
Example: firm favourites
Synonyms:
adjective
#6

Insistent upon something, not accepting dissent.

Example: He wanted to stay overnight, but I was firm with him and said he had to leave today.
Synonyms:
adjective
#7

Durable, rigid (material state).

Example: firm flesh; firm muscles, firm wood; firm land (i.e. not soft and marshy)
Synonyms:
adjective
#8

Mentally resistant to hurt or stress.

Synonyms:
adjective
#9

Not frivolous or fallacious; trustworthy; solid; dependable.

Synonyms:
adverb
#10

(now rare) firmly, steadily

verb
#11

(transitive) To make firm or strong; fix securely.

Translations:
verb
#12

(transitive) To make compact or resistant to pressure; solidify.

verb
#13

(intransitive) To become firm; stabilise.

Translations:
verb
#14

(intransitive) To improve after decline.

Translations:
verb
#15

(intransitive, Australia) To shorten (of betting odds).

verb
#16

(transitive, colloquial) To grit one's teeth and bear; to push through something unpleasant.

Example: I know you aren't feeling well, but just firm it.
verb
#17

(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.

Notable Literary & Historical Quotes

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”.

2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71:

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.

2012 May 9, John Percy, “Birmingham City 2 Blackpool 2 (2-3 on agg): match report”, in the Telegraph:

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.

1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 219:

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