helm

Etymology 1

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”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”). The verb is derived from the noun. cognates * German Holm (“beam”) * Old Norse hjálm

noun

1. (nautical) The tiller (or, in a large ship, the wheel) which is used to control the rudder of a marine vessel; also, the entire steering apparatus of a vessel.
2. (by extension)
   1. (nautical) The use of a helm (sense 1); also, the amount of space through which a helm is turned.
   2. (nautical) The member of a vessel's crew in charge of steering the vessel; a helmsman or helmswoman.
   3. Something used to control or steer; also (obsolete), a handle of a tool or weapon; a haft, a helve.
3. (figurative)
   1. A position of control or leadership.
      the helm of the Commonwealth
      [Avram] Grant will be desperate to finish the job of getting West Ham to their first Wembley cup final in 30 years when they meet Birmingham in the second leg at St Andrews on 26 January; though arguably of more pressing concern is whether he will still be at the helm for Saturday's Premier League encounter with Arsenal. 11 January 2011, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 – 1 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 2021-04-17
   2. One in the position of controlling or directing; a controller, a director, a guide.

verb

1. (nautical) To control the helm (noun sense 1) of (a marine vessel); to be in charge of steering (a vessel).
2. (figurative) To direct or lead (a project, etc.); to manage (an organization).
   "I wanted to change the world, but I could not even change my underwear," sings John Grant at the piano, in a luxuriant baritone croon as thick and healthy as his beard. It’s hard to reconcile the guy who once struggled to so much as put on clean pants back in the bad old days – well-storied, not least through his own songs – with the one warmly and gracefully helming this complex, prestigious production – the penultimate date on a tour of packed concert halls, backed by an orchestra. 1 December 2014, Malcolm Jack, “John Grant with the Royal Northern Sinfonia review – positively spine-tingling”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-07-31
   But [Donald] Trump retains his iron grip on the Republican base, with the support of millions of loyal voters and allies still helming the Republican National Committee and many state party organizations. 20 January 2021, Jill Colvin, “Trump bids farewell to Washington, hints of comeback”, in AP News, archived from the original on 2022-10-07
   When Mattel initially approached Smith about helming this show, he was surprised. 2021-07-26, Lauren Sarner, “Kevin Smith on ‘Masters of the Universe’ and fan backlash”, in New York Post
   Helmed by chef Anton Mosimann, this is one of the most prestigious dining clubs in the world. August 23 2023, Ellie Johnson, “Top prizes on offer at raffle for Railway Benefit Fund”, in RAIL, number 990, page 11

Etymology 2

From Middle English helm (“helmet; crown of thorns of Jesus; warrior; inn or shop sign”) [and other forms], from Old English helm (“helmet”), from Proto-West Germanic *helm, from Proto-Germanic *helmaz (“protective covering”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelmos, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”). Doublet of helmet. cognates * Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐌼𐍃 (hilms) * Old Frisian helm (West Frisian helm) * Old High German helm (Middle High German helm, modern German Helm; Italian elmo; Old French helme, modern French heaume; Spanish yelmo) * Old Norse hjalmr (Danish hjelm, Norwegian hjelm, Swedish hjelm) * Old Saxon helm (Low German Helm, Middle Dutch helm, modern Dutch helm)

noun

1. (archaic or poetic) A helmet.
   "A fearful apparition," murmured Norman of Torn. "No wonder he keeps his helm closed." 1914 January–May, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter VII, in The Outlaw of Torn, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg, published 1927, →OCLC; republished as The Outlaw of Torn (Project Gutenberg; EBook #369), 11 November 2020
2. (heraldry) Synonym of helmet (“the feature above a shield on a coat of arms”)
3. (by extension)
   1. (Northern England) A shelter for cattle or other farm animals; a hemmel, a shed.
   2. (Northern England (Cumberland, Westmorland)) A heavy cloud lying on the brow of a mountain, especially one associated with a storm.
   3. (obsolete)
      1. (except Britain, dialectal) The crown or top of something.
      2. (alchemy, chemistry) The upper part or cap of an alembic or retort.

Etymology 3

From Middle English helmen, helmi (“to provide with a helmet; (figuratively) to cover; to protect”), from Old English helmian (“to cover”), ġehelmian (“to cover with a helmet; to crown”), from (ġe- (prefix with an intensifying effect, or forming nouns or verbs denoting processes or results) +) helm (“helmet”) (see further at etymology 2) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns).

verb

1. (transitive, archaic or poetic) To cover (a head) with a helmet">helmet; to provide (someone) with a helmet">helmet; to helmet">helmet.

Etymology 4

The noun is possibly: * a variant of haulm; or * from its etymon Middle English halm, helm, Early Middle English healm (“straw, stubble; stalk (?); handle of a tool or weapon”) [and other forms], from Old English healm (“stalk of a grass or plant; hay, straw, stubble”), from Proto-Germanic *helmaz, *halmaz (“stalk of a grass or plant; hay, straw”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelh₂- (“to prick, stab, stick”). The verb is either derived from the noun, or is possibly a variant of yelm. cognates * Dutch helm (“haulm”); helm, hellem, hellim (“straw”) (dialectal) * Low German helm (“haulm”) (hallem (Heligoland), halm (Holstein))

noun

1. (countable) 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.
2. (uncountable) Alternative form of haulm (“the stems of various cultivated plants, left after harvesting the crop, which are used as animal food or litter, or for thatching”)
   The sheriff, John Griffith, had prepared green wood to burn him; but one master John Pikes, pitying the man, caused divers to go with him to Ridland, half a mile off, who brought good store of helme-sheaves, which indeed made good dispatch with little pain, in comparison to that he should have suffered with the green wood. 1583, John Foxe, “Notes Omitted of Them that Were Burnt at Bristol”, in Stephen Reed Cattley, editor, The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe:[…], new edition, volume VIII, London: R. B. Seeley and W. Burnside; and sold by L. & G. Seeley,[…], published 1839, →OCLC, page 737
3. (uncountable, obsolete) Synonym of bentgrass (“any of numerous reedy grass species of the genus Agrostis”)

verb

1. (transitive) To lay out (stalks of corn, or straw) straight to be used for thatching roofs; to yelm.