Link Centre Dictionary

calm

UK/kɑːm/ US/kɑm/ very common slang
adjective (4) verb (4) noun (1)

adjective

1.

not agitated; without losing self-possession

  • “spoke in a calm voice”
  • “remained calm throughout the uproar”
  • “he remained serene in the midst of turbulence”
  • “a serene expression on her face”
  • “she became more tranquil”
  • “tranquil life in the country”
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2.

characterized by absence of emotional agitation

  • “calm acceptance of the inevitable”
  • “remained serene in the midst of turbulence”
  • “a serene expression on her face”
  • “she became more tranquil”
  • “tranquil life in the country”
Synonyms
Similar
3.

(of weather) free from storm or wind

  • “calm seas”
Antonyms
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4.

marked by freedom from agitation or excitement

  • “the rioters gradually became calm and slowly dispersed”
Similar

verb

1.

make calm or still

  • “quiet the dragons of worry and fear”
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2.

make steady

  • “steady yourself”
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3.

become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation

  • “After the fight both men need to cool off.”
  • “It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again.”
Synonyms
4.

cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to

  • “The patient must be sedated before the operation”
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Antonyms

noun

1.

steadiness of mind under stress

  • “he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity”
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Antonyms

Origin

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”).

Phrases

  • calm and collected
  • calm as a cucumber
  • calm as a millpond
  • calm before the storm
  • calm blue ocean
  • calm down
  • calm wind
  • calm your tits
  • calm your titties
  • clock calm
  • cool, calm and collected
  • dead calm

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.