Word Study
calm
CIDE DICTIONARY
calm, 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 of the day obliges us seek for shade and quiet; cf. Caustic].
Freedom from motion, agitation, or disturbance; a cessation or absence of that which causes motion or disturbance, as of winds or waves; tranquility; stillness; quiet; serenity. [1913 Webster]
"The wind ceased, and there was a great calm." [1913 Webster]
"A calm before a storm is commonly a peace of a man's own making." [1913 Webster]
- To make calm; to render still or quiet, as elements; as, to calm the winds. [1913 Webster]"To calm the tempest raised by Eolus." [1913 Webster]
- To deliver from agitation or excitement; to still or soothe, as the mind or passions. [1913 Webster]"Passions which seem somewhat calmed."
Syn. -- To still; quiet; appease; allay; pacify; tranquilize; soothe; compose; assuage; check; restrain.
calm, a.
- Not stormy; without motion, as of winds or waves; still; quiet; serene; undisturbed. Spenser. [1913 Webster]"Now all is calm, and fresh, and still." [1913 Webster]
- Undisturbed by passion or emotion; not agitated or excited; tranquil; quiet in act or speech. [1913 Webster]"Such calm old age as conscience pure
And self-commanding hearts ensure."
Syn. -- Still; quiet; undisturbed; tranquil; peaceful; serene; composed; unruffled; sedate; collected; placid.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
calm, adj., n., & v.
--adj.
1 tranquil, quiet, windless (a calm sea; a calm night).
2 (of a person or disposition) settled; not agitated (remained calm throughout the ordeal).
3 self-assured, confident (his calm assumption that we would wait).
--n.
1 a state of being calm; stillness, serenity.
2 a period without wind or storm.
--v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by down) make or become calm.
--adj.
1 tranquil, quiet, windless (a calm sea; a calm night).
2 (of a person or disposition) settled; not agitated (remained calm throughout the ordeal).
3 self-assured, confident (his calm assumption that we would wait).
--n.
1 a state of being calm; stillness, serenity.
2 a period without wind or storm.
--v.tr. & intr. (often foll. by down) make or become calm.
Derivative
calmly adv. calmness n.
Etymology
ME ult. f. LL cauma f. Gk kauma heat
THESAURUS
calm
abnegation, abstinence, accordance, allay, alleviate, anticyclone, appease, assuage, at peace, at rest, aweless, balm, balmy, becalm, blank, blankminded, bloodless, calm down, calmness, cease, cloistered, collected, compose, composed, composure, conciliate, concordant, conservatism, consistency, consonance, constancy, constraint, continence, continuity, control, cool, cool off, coolheaded, coolness, correspondence, cradle, dead calm, deathlike calm, defuse, die down, dispassion, dispassionate, doldrums, dulcify, dwindle, dwindling, ease, easy, easygoing, ebb, ebbing, empty, empty-headed, equability, equable, equanimity, equilibrium, even, even out, even-tempered, even-tenored, evenness, expected, expecting, fatuous, firm, flat calm, gentle, gentleness, golden mean, halcyon, halt, happy medium, homogeneity, horse latitudes, hush, hushed, idyllic, impartiality, impassive, imperturbable, inactive, inane, incogitant, inexcitable, isolated, judiciousness, juste-milieu, lay, lay the dust, lenity, levelheaded, lull, make one easy, meden agan, middle way, mild, mildness, mitigate, moderateness, moderation, moderationism, molder, moldering, mollify, monolithism, motionless, nerveless, neutrality, nirvanic, nonchalant, nonviolence, nothing in excess, oblivious, oily calm, orderly, pacific, pacifism, pacify, passive, pastoral, peace, peaceable, peaceful, peacefulness, peacetime, persistence, philosophical, phlegmatic, piping, placate, placid, placidity, placidness, poised, possessed, pour balm into, pour balm on, propitiate, prudence, quell, quiesce, quiescent, quiet, quieten, quietistic, relax, relaxed, relieve, repose, reposeful, reposing, rest, restful, resting, restraint, rock, rock to sleep, rock-steady, sang-froid, secluded, sedate, self-abnegation, self-control, self-controlled, self-denial, self-possessed, self-possession, self-restraint, sequestered, sequestrated, serene, serenity, settle, sheltered, smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smoothen, sobriety, soft, soothe, soother, stability, stabilize, stable, staid, staunch, steadfastness, steadiness, steady, steady-handed, steady-nerved, steel-nerved, still, still as death, stillish, stillness, stilly, stoic, stoical, stolid, stop, strong-nerved, subdue, subside, subsiding, temperance, temperateness, thoughtfree, thoughtless, together, tranquil, tranquilize, tranquillity, unagitated, unamazed, unastonished, unastounded, unawed, unbewildered, unblenching, unblinking, undazed, undazzled, undisturbed, undumbfounded, unexcessiveness, unextravagance, unextremeness, unfaltering, unflappable, unflinching, unideaed, uniformity, unimpressed, unintellectual, unity, unmarveling, unmoved, unnervous, unoccupied, unperturbed, unquivering, unreasoning, unruffled, unruffledness, unshaken, unshaky, unshrinking, unstirring, unstrained, unsurprised, unthinking, untremulous, untroubled, unwavering, unwondering, vacant, vacuous, via media, wane, waning, windless, windlessness, without a tremor, wonderlessROGET THESAURUS
calm
Dissuasion
VB dissuade, dehort, cry out against, remonstrate, expostulate, warn, contraindicate, disincline, indispose, shake, stagger, dispirit, discourage, dishearten, deter, repress, hold back, keep back, render averse, repel, turn aside, wean from, act as a drag, throw cold water on, damp, cool, chill, blunt, calm, quiet, quench, deprecate, disenchant, disillusion, deflate, take down a peg, pop one's balloon, prick one's balloon, burst one's bubble, disabuse (correction).Leisure
N leisure, convenience, spare time, spare hours, spare moments, vacant hour, time, time to spare, time on one's hands, holiday, relaxation, otium cum dignitate, ease, no hurry, no big rush, no deadline, leisure, leisurely, slow, deliberate, quiet, calm, undisturbed, at leisure, at one's ease, at loose ends, at a loose end, unhurriedly, deliberately, without undue haste, anytime, time hanging heavy on one's hands, eile mit Weile.Peace
N peace, amity, harmony, tranquility, calm, truce, peace treaty, accord, peace pipe, pipe of peace, calumet of peace, piping time of peace, quiet life, neutrality, dove of peace, white dove, dove, pax Romana, Pax Americana, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, calm, tranquil, untroubled, halcyon, bloodless, neutral, dovish, the storm blown over, the lion lies down with the lamb, all quiet on the Potomac, paritur pax bello, peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, they make a desert and they call it peace, peace, amity, harmony, tranquility, calm, truce, peace treaty, accord, peace pipe, pipe of peace, calumet of peace, piping time of peace, quiet life, neutrality, dove of peace, white dove, dove, pax Romana, Pax Americana, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, calm, tranquil, untroubled, halcyon, bloodless, neutral, dovish, the storm blown over, the lion lies down with the lamb, all quiet on the Potomac, paritur pax bello, peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, they make a desert and they call it peace.Inexcitability
N inexcitability, imperturbability, inirritability, even temper, tranquil mind, dispassion, tolerance, patience, coolth, passiveness, hebetude, hebetation, impassibility, stupefaction, coolness, calmness, composure, placidity, indisturbance, imperturbation, sang froid, tranquility, serenity, quiet, quietude, peace of mind, mental calmness, staidness, gravity, sobriety, Quakerism, philosophy, equanimity, stoicism, command of temper, self-possession, self-control, self-command, self-restraint, ice water in one's veins, presence of mind, submission, resignation, sufferance, supportance, endurance, longsufferance, forbearance, longanimity, fortitude, patience of Job, patience on a monument, patience 'sovereign o'er transmuted ill', moderation, repression of feelings, subjugation of feeling, restraint, tranquillization, inexcitable, unexcitable, imperturbable, unsusceptible, unpassionate, dispassionate, cold-blooded, irritable, enduring, stoical, Platonic, philosophic, staid, stayed, sober, sober minded, grave, sober as a judge, grave as a judge, sedate, demure, cool-headed, easy-going, peaceful, placid, calm, quiet as a mouse, tranquil, serene, cool as a cucumber, cool as a custard, undemonstrative, temperate, composed, collected, unexcited, unstirred, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, unimpassioned, unoffended, unresisting, meek, tolerant, patient, patient as Job, submissive, tame, content, resigned, chastened, subdued, lamblike, gentle as a lamb, suaviter in modo, mild as mothers milk, soft as peppermint, armed with patience, bearing with, clement, long-suffering, like patience on a monument smiling at grief, aequo animo, in cold blood, more in sorrow than in anger, Int, patience!, and shuffle the cards, cool calm and collected, keep calm in the midst of a storm, adversity's sweet milk, philosophy, mens aequa in arduis philosophia stemma non inspec, quo me cumque rapit tempestas deferor hospes, they also serve who only stand and wait.Moderation
VB be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove.N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.
Horizontality
N horizontality, flatness, level, plane, stratum, dead level, dead flat, level plane, recumbency, lying down, reclination, decumbence, decumbency, discumbency, proneness, accubation, supination, resupination, prostration, azimuth, plain, floor, platform, bowling green, cricket ground, croquet ground, croquet lawn, billiard table, terrace, estrade, esplanade, parterre, table land, plateau, ledge, butte, mesa (plain), level, spirit level, horizontal, level, even, plane, flat, flat as a billiard table, flat as a bowling green, alluvial, calm, calm as a mill pond, smooth, smooth as glass, recumbent, decumbent, procumbent, accumbent, lying, prone, supine, couchant, jacent, prostrate, recubant, horizontally, on one's back, on all fours, on its beam ends.Quiescence
N quiescence, rest, stillness, quiescence, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, catalepsy, indisturbance, quietism, quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, peace, dead calm, anticyclone, statue-like repose, silence, not a breath of air, not a mouse stirring, sleep, pause, lull, stand still, standing still, lock, dead lock, dead stop, dead stand, full stop, fix, embargo, resting place, gite, bivouac, home, pillow, haven, goal, quiescent, still, motionless, moveless, fixed, stationary, immotile, at rest at a stand, at a standstill, at anchor, stock, still, standing still, sedentary, untraveled, stay-at-home, becalmed, stagnant, quiet, unmoved, undisturbed, unruffled, calm, restful, cataleptic, immovable, sleeping, silent, still as a statue, still as a post, still as a mouse, still as death, vegetative, vegetating, at a stand, tout court, at the halt, Int, stop!, stay!, avast!, halt!, hold hard!, whoa!, hold!, sabr karo!, requiescat in pace, Deus nobis haec otia fecit, the noonday quiet holds the hill, quiescence, rest, stillness, quiescence, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, catalepsy, indisturbance, quietism, quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, peace, dead calm, anticyclone, statue-like repose, silence, not a breath of air, not a mouse stirring, sleep, pause, lull, stand still, standing still, lock, dead lock, dead stop, dead stand, full stop, fix, embargo, resting place, gite, bivouac, home, pillow, haven, goal, quiescent, still, motionless, moveless, fixed, stationary, immotile, at rest at a stand, at a standstill, at anchor, stock, still, standing still, sedentary, untraveled, stay-at-home, becalmed, stagnant, quiet, unmoved, undisturbed, unruffled, calm, restful, cataleptic, immovable, sleeping, silent, still as a statue, still as a post, still as a mouse, still as death, vegetative, vegetating, at a stand, tout court, at the halt, Int, stop!, stay!, avast!, halt!, hold hard!, whoa!, hold!, sabr karo!, requiescat in pace, Deus nobis haec otia fecit, the noonday quiet holds the hill.For further exploring for "calm" in Webster Dictionary Online