helm
/hɛlm/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.65 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The tiller (or, in a large ship, the wheel) which is used to steer the rudder of a marine vessel; also, the entire steering apparatus of a vessel.
noun
Something used to control or steer; also (obsolete), a handle of a tool or weapon; a haft, a helve.
noun
A position of control or leadership.
noun
One in the position of controlling or directing; a controller, a director, a guide.
Example Sentences
- "Ye this is both helme & stern of al together: & that which they contended right sore to impugn, but loue of the truth, wherwith in this poynte I reckened me wel fēsed, wold not suffer me to apply & yeld to their wil, thinking, quod sanctū erat veritatē preferre amicitiæ, that the truth ought to be preferred before al frendship & amitye, & also, Si dextra manus scandalizet deberet prescidi & abijci."
- "Nor is this vveather rare about the Æquinoctiall; by Mariners termed the Tornadoes: and tis ſo vncertaine, that novv you ſhall haue a quiet breath and gale, and ſuddenly an vnexpected violent guſt, and ſtorme, ſo fierce, that many times the ſhips vvill feele no helme."
- "Fair laughs the Morn, and ſoft the Zephyr blovvs, / VVhile proudly riding o'er the azure realm / In gallant trim the gilded Veſſel goes; / Youth on the provv, and Pleaſure at the helm; […]"
- "A great axe first she gave, that two ways cut, / In which a fair well-polish'd helm was put, / That from an olive bough receiv'd his frame."
- "the helm of the Commonwealth"
- "Biſhop [William] Laud of London is alſo povverful in his VVay, for he ſits at the Helm of the Church, and doth more than any of the tvvo Archbiſhops, or all the reſt of his tvvo and tvventy Brethren beſides."
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English helm, helme (“tiller of a ship”), from Old English helma (“helm, tiller”), from Proto-Germanic *helmô (“handle; helm, tiller”), either from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”) or from the same source as haulm and helm (“bentgrass, straw”) (see below), Proto-Indo-European *ḱélh₂-m(on)- (“reed, hollow stalk”), one form of which then developed a specialized meaning “handle” in Germanic. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * German Holm (“beam”) * Old Norse hjálm
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *ḱel-, helm, helma, *helmô, *helm, *helmaz
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /hɛlm/
- British English: /hɛlm/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in People.
Inflected Forms
helms (plural)
helms (present, singular)
helming (participle, present)
helmed (participle, past)
helmed (past)
no-table-tags (table tags)
glossary (inflection template)
helmed (first person, past)
helmest (archaic, present)
helmed (past, second person)
helmedst (archaic, past)
helmeth (archaic, present)