calm

views updated May 14 2018

calm / kä(l)m/ • adj. 1. (of a person, action, or manner) not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other emotions: keep calm, she told herself his voice was calm. ∎  (of a place) peaceful, esp. in contrast to recent violent activity: the city was reported to be calm, but army patrols remained.2. (of the weather) pleasantly free from wind: the night was clear and calm. ∎  (of the sea) not disturbed by large waves.• n. 1. the absence of violent or confrontational activity within a place or group: the elections proceeded in an atmosphere of relative calm| [in sing.] an edgy calm reigned in the capital. ∎  the absence of nervousness, agitation, or excitement in a person: his usual calm deserted him.2. the absence of wind: in the center of the storm calm prevailed. ∎  still air represented by force 0 on the Beaufort scale (less than 1 knot). ∎  (often calms) an area of the sea without wind.• v. [tr.] make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe: I took him inside and tried to calm him down he lit a cigarette to calm his nerves | [as adj.] (calming) a cup of tea will have a calming effect. ∎  [intr.] (calm down) (of a person) become tranquil and quiet: gradually I calmed down and lost my anxiety.PHRASES: the calm before the stormsee storm.DERIVATIVES: calm·ly adv.calm·ness n.

calm

views updated May 29 2018

calm XIV.The sb., adj., and vb. appear about the same time, and earlier than the corresp. F. words (XV), which are presumed to be — It. calma, calmo, calmare; these are referred to popL. *calma, alt. of late L. cauma — Gr. kaûma heat (of the day or sun), by assoc. with L. calēre be hot.

calm

views updated Jun 11 2018

calm A condition of general lack of wind, indicated by a wind speed of less than 1 knot (0.5 m/s). See also Beaufort scale.

calm

views updated May 08 2018

calm Condition of general lack of wind, indicated by a wind speed of less than 1 knot (0.5 m/s). See also BEAUFORT SCALE.