Dictionaries › English

helm

Pronunciation: /hɛlm/

The English word “helm” has 17 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. 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.
  2. The use of a helm (sense 1); also, the amount of space through which a helm is turned.
  3. The member of a vessel's crew in charge of steering the vessel; a helmsman or helmswoman.
  4. Something used to control or steer; also (obsolete), a handle of a tool or weapon; a haft, a helve.
  5. A position of control or leadership.
  6. One in the position of controlling or directing; a controller, a director, a guide.
  7. A helmet.
  8. A shelter for cattle or other farm animals; a hemmel, a shed.
  9. A heavy cloud lying on the brow of a mountain, especially one associated with a storm.
  10. The crown or top of something.
  11. The upper part or cap of an alembic or retort.
  12. A stalk of corn, or (uncountable) stalks of corn collectively (that is, straw), especially when bundled together or laid out straight to be used for thatching roofs.
  13. Synonym of bentgrass (“any of numerous reedy grass species of the genus Agrostis”)

verb

  1. To control the helm (noun sense 1) of (a marine vessel); to be in charge of steering (a vessel).
  2. To direct or lead (a project, etc.); to manage (an organization).
  3. To cover (a head) with a helmet; to provide (someone) with a helmet; to helmet.
  4. To lay out (stalks of corn, or straw) straight to be used for thatching roofs; to yelm.

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…

Keep exploring: in the interactive dictionary every word of a definition is a link. Open “helm” there

More English words

About this dictionary

The English dictionary on Glottosphere has 650,529 entries with a page. Browse the English dictionary.

Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.