calm - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English calm, calme, from Middle French calme, probably from Old Italian calma, of uncertain origin. Calma may derive from Late Latin cauma (“heat of the midday sun”), from Ancient Greek καῦμα (kaûma, “heat, especially of the sun”), from καίω (kaíō, “to burn”), or possibly from Latin caleō. Compare also Lombardic *chalm, *chalma (“frozenness”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kalmaz (“frozenness, cold”).

Displaced native Middle English smilte (“quiet, still, gentle”) from Old English smylte (“quiet, tranquil, calm, serene”).

calm (comparative calmer or more calm, superlative calmest or most calm)

  1. (of a person) Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
    Antonyms: stressed, nervous, anxious
  2. (of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance.
    Antonym: disturbed
  3. (of water) with few or no waves on the surface; not rippled.
  4. (of weather) Without wind or storm.
    Antonyms: windy, stormy
  5. (slang, MLE) Good; alright; cool; OK.
    • 2017, “Uber Everywhere Freestyle 2”‎[1]performed by Cadet (rapper):
      Hi, welcome to Puma. If you need any help, my name's Kelly. That's calm, man […] Thirty pounds is the limit, I think you'll pay no more, I'm sorry. Aight, fuck it! What, can I do chip and pin. Calm, I'ma put my pin in like boom!
    • 2019 May 9, “Bullet from a Gun” (track 1), in Ignorance is Bliss‎[2], performed by Skepta:
      Been living my life as a Kingpin. I'm calm with the heat of the kitchen.
    • 2021 January 17, “Own Brand Freestyle” (track 24), in Beijing Winter Games 2022‎[3], performed by FelixThe1st, Dreya Mac, Finch Fetti:
      Flexed up like they really move pally (Pally). I don't want ish just at me (At me). I just want money, that's calm (Calm). Teenager, never worry 'bout acne (Finch Fetti, Finch Fetti)
    • 2021 October 15, “100 Bags Freestyle”‎[4]performed by Yung Filly:
      I really hit for the long ting, calm (Ha, ha). Who would've thought you woulda heard Yung Filly on drill (Filly on drill).

Although a place or environment that makes one calm is usually called calm, a thing that makes one calm (such as a film, a beverage, or someone's voice) would not be called calm; instead, it would be called calming.

free from anger and anxiety

free of noise and disturbance

(of water) with few or no waves on the surface

without wind or storm

calm (countable and uncountable, plural calms)

  1. (in a person) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion.
    • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
      Calm on the seas, and silver sleep,
      ⁠And waves that sway themselves in rest,
      ⁠And dead calm in that noble breast
      Which heaves but with the heaving deep.
  2. (in a place or situation) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.
  3. (meteorology) The absence of wind; a period of time without wind.

condition of being unworried and free from anger

the state with absence of noise and disturbance

period without wind

calm (third-person singular simple present calms, present participle calming, simple past and past participle calmed)

  1. (transitive) To make calm.
    to calm a crying baby
    to calm the passions
    • 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
      to calm the tempest raised by Aeolus
  2. (intransitive) To become calm.

to make calm

to become calm

  1. ^ John C. Wells (1982), Accents of English, volume 1, Cambridge University Press, § 3.1.9, page 206

From calma, probably in imitation of French calme (adjective) and Spanish calmo.

calm (feminine calma, masculine plural calms, feminine plural calmes)

  1. calm

calm

  1. alternative form of calme

calm

  1. alternative form of calme

Borrowed from French calme.

calm n (plural calmuri)

  1. composure (calmness of mind or matter, self-possession)