Calm

Calm

Calm is an adjective meaning peaceful, quiet; particularly used of the weather, free from wind or storm, or of the sea, as opposed to rough. The word appears in French "calme," through which it came into English, in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian "calma." Most authorities follow Diez ("Etym. Worterbuch der romanischen Sprachen") in tracing the origin to the Low Latin "cauma," an adaptation of Greek Kaiii,ua, burning heat, "xalECV," to burn. The Portuguese "calma" has this meaning as well as that of quiet. The connection would be heat of the day, rest during that period, so quiet, rest, peacefulness. The insertion of the "L," which in English pronunciation disappears, is probably due to the Latin "calor," heat, with which the word was associated.

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  • calm — CALM, Ă, calmi, e, adj., s.n. I. adj. 1. (Despre natură) Care se află în stare de linişte deplină. ♢ Calm ecuatorial = zonă îngustă de o parte şi de alta a ecuatorului, cu presiune atmosferică scăzută, vânturi slabe şi ploi abundente. Calm… …   Dicționar Român

  • calm´ly — calm «kahm, kahlm», adjective, noun, verb. –adj. 1. not stormy or windy; not stirred up; quiet; still: »In fair weather the sea is usually calm. SYNONYM(S): motionless, smooth, placid. 2. Figurative. not excited; peaceful: »Although she was frigh …   Useful english dictionary

  • calm — adj Calm, tranquil, serene, placid, peaceful, halcyonmean quiet and free from all that disturbs or excites. Calm is primarily applied to sea or weather, usually conveys an implicit contrast with its opposite, stormy, and suggests freedom, real or …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Calm — (k[aum]m), a. [Compar. {Calmer} ( [ e]r); superl. {Calmest} ( [e^]st)] 1. Not stormy; without motion, as of winds or waves; still; quiet; serene; undisturbed. Calm was the day. Spenser. [1913 Webster] Now all is calm, and fresh, and still. Bryant …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Calm — Calm, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Calmed} (k[aum]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Calming}.] [Cf. F. calmer. See {Calm}, n.] 1. To make calm; to render still or quiet, as elements; as, to calm the winds. [1913 Webster] To calm the tempest raised by Eolus. Dryden.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • calm — [käm] n. [ME & OFr calme < OIt calma < LL (Vulg.: Job 30:30) cauma, heat, heat of the day (hence, in It, time to rest, quiet: see SIESTA) < Gr kauma, heat, esp. of the sun < kaiein, to burn; It sp. infl. by L calere, to be hot] 1.… …   English World dictionary

  • Calm — (k[aum]m), n. [OE. calme, F. calme, fr. It. or Sp. calma (cf. Pg. calma heat), prob. fr. LL. cauma heat, fr. Gr. kay^ma burning heat, fr. kai ein to burn; either because during a great heat there is generally also a calm, or because the hot time… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • calm — [adj1] peaceful, quiet (inanimate) at a standstill, at peace, bland, bucolic, cool, halcyon, harmonious, hushed, inactive, in order, low key, mild, motionless, pacific, pastoral, placid, quiescent, reposeful, reposing, restful, rural, serene,… …   New thesaurus

  • calm — ► ADJECTIVE 1) not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other emotions. 2) peaceful and undisturbed. ► NOUN 1) a calm state or period. 2) (calms) an area of the sea without wind. ► VERB (often …   English terms dictionary

  • CALM — may refer to: *Café au lait macules( spots ) as seen in the medical condition neurofibromatosis *Communications, Air interface, Long and Medium range, a standardized set of air interface protocols and parameters for medium and long range, high… …   Wikipedia

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