calm

 
Pronunciation: /kɑːm/

adjective

  • 1not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions: she had to keep calm at all costs his voice was calm
  • (of a place) peaceful after 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: a dead calm sea

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1the absence of strong emotions; calm feelings: his usual calm deserted him
  • the absence of violent activity in a place: the elections proceeded in an atmosphere of relative calm [in singular]: an edgy calm reigned in the capital
  • 2the absence of wind: in the centre of the storm calm prevailed
  • still air represented by force 0 on the Beaufort scale (less than 1 knot or 1 kph).
  • [count noun] (often calms) an area of the sea without wind: flat calms

verb

[with object]
  • make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe: I took him inside and tried to calm him down
  • [no object] (calm down) (of a person) become tranquil and quiet: gradually I calmed down and lost my anxiety

Phrases

the calm before the storm

see storm

Derivatives

calmly

adverb

calmness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: via one of the Romance languages from Greek kauma 'heat (of the day)'