ferme

See also fermés

English

Noun

ferme (plural fermes)

1. (cant) Hole.

References

• OED2
• 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

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French

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /fɛʁm/, X-SAMPA: /fERm/

Etymology 1

From Middle French, from Old French ferm, ferme (“solid”), from Latin firmus (“solid, secure”), from Proto-Indo-European *dher(ə)-, *dhrē- (“to hold”).

Adjective

ferme (masculine and feminine, plural fermes)

1. firm

Synonyms

• dur
• décidé

Noun

ferme f (plural fermes)

1. (carpentry) roof truss

Verb

ferme

1. first-person singular indicative present form of fermer
2. third-person singular indicative present form of fermer
3. first-person singular subjunctive present form of fermer
4. third-person singular subjunctive present form of fermer
5. second-person singular imperative form of fermer

Etymology 2

From Middle French ferme (“farm, farm buildings”), from Old French ferme (“lease for working, rent, farm”), from Medieval Latin ferma, firma (“rent, tax, tribute, farm”), from Old English feorm (“rent, provision, supplies, feast”), from Proto-Germanic *firmō, *firhuma- (“means of living, subsistence”), from Proto-Germanic *firhu- (“life force, body, being”), from Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- (“life, force, strength, tree”). Related to Old English feorh (“life, spirit”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍈𐌿𐍃 (fairƕus, “the world”). Compare also Old English feormehām (“farm”), feormere (“purveyor”).

Noun

ferme f (plural fermes)

1. farm

Derived terms

• fermage
• fermier
• fermette

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Italian

Adjective

ferme f pl

1. feminine plural form of fermo

Noun

ferme f pl

1. Plural form of ferma

Anagrams

• freme, fremé

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Latin

Etymology

From *ferimē, earlier superlative of ferē, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold”), whence also firmus.

Adverb

fermē (not comparable)

1. Closely, quite, entirely, fully, altogether, just.
2. In general, generally, usually, commonly, for most of the time.

References

• ferme in Charlton T. Lewis & Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879

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Middle French

Adjective

ferme m and f (plural fermes)

1. firm