1. Word finder
  2. Word definitions
  3. calm

Find the word definition

What is "calm"

Crossword clues for calm

calm
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
calm
I.adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a calming/soothing effect (=one that makes you feel less angry, excited, or nervous)
▪ His words seemed to have a calming effect on the crowd.
a calming/soothing influence
▪ The music seemed to have a calming influence.
a haven of peace/tranquillity/calm
▪ In the middle of the city, this garden is a haven of tranquillity.
an oasis of calm/serenity/tranquillity etc
▪ The park was an oasis of peace.
an uneasy calm
▪ Things seemed quiet enough, but it was an uneasy calm.
appear calm
▪ He tried hard to appear calm.
calm
▪ The sea was perfectly calm.
calm/steady sb's nerves (=make someone feel less worried or nervous)
▪ She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves.
cool, calm, and collected
▪ She wanted to arrive feeling cool, calm, and collected.
cool, calm, and collected
▪ Outwardly she is cool, calm, and collected.
dead quiet/calm/still
▪ The room was dead quiet while we waited for Ted to reply.
keep calm/awake/sane etc
▪ I was struggling to keep awake.
Traffic calming measures
▪ Traffic calming measures have been introduced.
traffic calming
▪ Traffic calming measures have been introduced.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
as
▪ Baldwin's main role was to keep his colleagues and the country as calm as possible.
▪ Jody is as calm as anyone has ever seen her at halftime.
▪ The city spread out below her looked so calm, almost as calm as she had felt such a little time before.
▪ Keep as calm as possible, and follow the suggestions in this chapter.
▪ Noah Plunkett was as calm as though they were discussing the state of the weather.
▪ Eisenhower, appearing as calm as ever, shrugged off what had not long before loomed as a crisis.
▪ Just the same, off he went, as calm as could be, and so the theft remained undetected.
▪ He was as calm and collected as any veteran on the ground.
much
▪ But once she'd explained I felt much calmer.
▪ He was suddenly much calmer, coldly aware of his true position.
▪ Every day ... I will become emotionally much calmer ... much more settled ... much less easily disturbed.
▪ Though evidently representing the same individual, the head was much calmer than that of the agitated portrait of the previous decade.
▪ The Prime Minister greeted the day in a much calmer mood than he had forty-eight hours before.
quite
▪ She'd even felt quite calm, only thinking that in the oven his dinner would be in cinders now.
▪ Previously no wave would have reached that high except in a gale, and that night the sea had been quite calm.
▪ She was quite calm and told me to get a watch and try and time how far apart the pains were.
▪ Until opposition forces started fighting again, the situation was quite calm.
▪ I felt quite calm, though I could neither eat nor drink.
▪ Kelly felt quite calm as she entered the large committee room.
▪ She was quite calm and serious and, for reasons of her own, she intended to bury the jewel box.
so
▪ The city spread out below her looked so calm, almost as calm as she had felt such a little time before.
▪ In some one so calm, the effect was eerie.
▪ How could Ace stay so calm?
▪ Michael stared up, wondering how Peter could be so calm.
▪ His manner: so calm, so kind, so on top of things.
▪ It was so calm, so secure.
▪ No wonder he is so calm.
▪ No wonder I had felt so calm.
very
▪ It looked very calm and peaceful.
▪ He is a Sikh, a religious man, very calm, kind.
▪ I became very calm and immediately went into a deep sleep.
▪ He felt aged and weary but very calm.
▪ She became very calm and serene.
■ NOUN
day
▪ At least, I thought grimly, it was a calm day.
▪ It was a calm day, Mr Dove.
▪ On a calm day there will be no waves breaking over Bogha nan Ramfhear to indicate its presence.
▪ Try to sober down and forget your fears as there are calmer days ahead.
▪ It was a cold calm day with no wind.
▪ On calm days people dived to inspect the bottom contours.
▪ On a calm day, it can register a pressure difference across the thickness of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.
exterior
▪ So you see, beneath that calm exterior lies a highly unstable child.
▪ With her soft voice and her calm exterior, she absolutely would not let creditors off the hook.
sea
▪ Neil Croll, Allestree, Derby I saw an upside-down rainbow caused by the reflection of the sun on a calm sea.
▪ De Macon's ship went to Brittany and back, the voyage helped by fair winds and calm seas.
▪ I was deeply thankful that the accident had occurred on a sunny day and with a calm sea.
▪ He wrote of the calm sea at St Malo, the pink sky, the sweet air.
▪ Large swell waves may be present with an absolutely calm sea or even with light offshore winds in the opposite direction.
▪ Gently rocked by the smooth, rhythmic action of the calm sea, she gazed up at the sky above.
▪ Only the murmur of ships' engines and swish of bows cutting the tide could be heard across the calm sea.
voice
▪ He heard the calm voice, but could feel the trembling body which gave it the lie.
▪ The calm voice waited on the tapes, and my grief was ambiguous.
▪ When they tapped at Dora's bedroom door, a calm voice invited them to enter.
▪ Myles began to talk in a slow calm voice.
▪ Wilko then replies in a calm voice with what hes said.
water
▪ The overall effect is that the main swell of the ocean is broken, leaving calmer water inside.
▪ She drifted helplessly along in calm water at just over three knots, making it virtually impossible to assess her sailing characteristics.
▪ But the ship stood almost stationary, in calm water just inside the mouth of a fiord.
▪ For instance, blue conveys a sense of calm and tranquility because we associate the colour with blue skies, calm water.
▪ It's always the same - each time you dive, you find clear, calm water.
▪ There will be calmer water at intervals along the way.
▪ Slowly they began to feel the protection of Grumbla Head and within half-an-hour they had entered relatively calm water.
waters
▪ The last time I visited Strathbeg, I counted eighty elegant swans, floating galleon-like on calm waters.
▪ Inside the reef, on calmer waters, the boy gratefully nodded off to sleep, exhausted by his ordeal.
▪ Here seals may be seen bobbing in the calm waters.
▪ She sat quietly, however, until the music found its way into calmer waters and then came to an end.
▪ He also taught girls to swim in the calm waters of the Swider River.
▪ The forecast is good, light winds and calm waters.
▪ Two of us have chosen to sail in the calmer waters of librarianship.
weather
▪ All he needs is 13 hours of calm weather.
▪ Wildlife experts fear the calm weather may return too late to save them.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
bold/calm/cool etc as you please
calm/cool etc exterior
▪ Beneath his highly cool exterior he was anguished and distraught.
▪ It all added up to the fact that below Silas's cool exterior there was warmth and compassion for others.
▪ So you see, beneath that calm exterior lies a highly unstable child.
▪ There is little or no hint of the compassion and humanity which lay beneath the cool exterior.
▪ With her soft voice and her calm exterior, she absolutely would not let creditors off the hook.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ After yesterday's fighting, the region is now calm again.
▪ Everyone praised Douglas for the calm way in which he handled the situation.
▪ He has such a calm soothing voice - I could listen to him all night.
▪ His mother was a calm, slow-speaking woman.
▪ I was trying to sound calm even though I was very upset.
▪ It was a calm, clear, beautiful day.
▪ Joe is a very calm and competent flying instructor.
▪ Keep calm and try not to panic.
▪ My sister was always calm and careful, whereas I would get excited and upset by the slightest thing.
▪ Once on board, you can relax in calm, comfortable surroundings.
▪ The night was calm and warm.
▪ The sea was dead calm.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Baldwin's main role was to keep his colleagues and the country as calm as possible.
▪ Even when Peter began, the sky was pale, the winds were calm, and the air was temperate.
▪ He is a Sikh, a religious man, very calm, kind.
▪ His eyes, which, moments earlier, had been filled with fear and horror, were now clear, almost calm.
▪ Hugh remained calm at the wheel, driving with the window open.
▪ Inside the reef, on calmer waters, the boy gratefully nodded off to sleep, exhausted by his ordeal.
▪ It created a picture of calm silent menace.
▪ So far, the menswear shows have had an air of calm rationality.
II.noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
cool
▪ The leaked Pinochet medical file turns out to be cool and calm.
▪ It had been an exceptional run, fine days, cool and calm, and crisp but clear nights.
▪ Appearing cool and calm would be difficult, but it was the only way to deal with this man.
▪ Vashti McKenzie, looking cool and calm in a royal blue Africaninspired two-piece dress that swept the floor.
dead
▪ She sounded frank, dead calm.
relative
▪ Our path dropped down to the relative calm of the sea shore, edging craggy inlets beneath overhanging cliff tops.
▪ The relative calm before this convention is almost eerie.
▪ Yet by comparison with the fate of most people in Caxias, this is a haven of relative calm and well-being.
▪ But as the period of relative calm continued, it seemed to last an eternity.
▪ The scent-sensitive Lepidoptera are thus associated with the strongly-scented flowers in the relative calm there.
▪ The history of many colleges can be seen as periods of conflict and confrontation alternating with periods of consolidation and relative calm.
■ VERB
appear
▪ He is resting on his knees and appears calm.
▪ As he left the courtroom, Franco appeared calm, smiling and chatting with Teich and his interpreter.
feel
▪ Having eaten, I felt refreshed and calm as I got into bed.
▪ Regardless of when you call, our representatives will be courteous and calm-so you can feel calm, too.
▪ Now the die was cast he felt a certain calm.
▪ Some people find uncontrollable tears welling up, yet they may feel wonderfully relaxed and calm after the massage.
▪ As I stood on the tee, I felt a terrific calm, but a controlled excitement, too.
▪ I felt pleasantly tired, calm, and strangely satisfied.
keep
▪ Stay calm and keep the child calm: panic speeds poison absorption.
▪ In spite of everything, he had managed to keep Virginia Stillman calm.
▪ During practice the beginner should try to keep his mind calm and peaceful.
▪ Fate drove so that Glover could sit in the back and keep Lucky calm.
▪ Some ways of keeping the discussion calm and rational: The Chair should be firm in not allowing people to interrupt each other.
▪ The only one who kept calm was the commander, who helped me and the others out, fearing a secondary explosion.
▪ He bought her a soda, tried to talk to her, kept her calm.
▪ Lugar spent his eight years as mayor trying to keep his city calm when others were burning.
remain
▪ The latter part of the year looks the most promising, so remain calm earlier.
▪ She remained serene and calm with no need for the pain medication until the next afternoon when she died in her sleep.
▪ Whilst Jansher remained calm and serene, I was sweating profusely.
▪ We women look on, we appraise, we scrutinize, we admire, we try to remain calm.
▪ Reformist leaders have told the public to remain calm to deprive hardliners in the security forces of any pretext for violent action.
▪ I said, trying to remain calm despite my growing irritation with him.
▪ When her labor was difficult, the doula consistently remained calm and caring.
restore
▪ Although some black groups called for a boycott of the curfew, it had the effect of restoring an uneasy calm.
▪ A policeman may be able to restore the public calm without having to resort to an arrest.
▪ Attempts by the Czech police to restore calm to the streets of Prague following the protests were thwarted.
stay
▪ He gained experience and developed skills in staying calm in the face of abuse, working under pressure and organising his time.
▪ He told himself to stay calm.
▪ William I know, I know-but... just-let's stay calm.
▪ Trying to stay calm, he crept up on the statue.
▪ Act calm - stay calm One successful method of mastering nerves is to act the way you would like to feel.
▪ Or like saying stay calm or cheer up.
▪ What do you do? Stay calm.
▪ Not many players would have stayed calm during the making of that eight, and certainly not after it.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ By October 17th, the police had managed to restore calm.
▪ Inside the new gallery, there is an atmosphere of calm.
▪ The Prime Minister visited the centre of the rioting and called for calm.
▪ We sat on the patio, enjoying the calm of the evening.
▪ What we need now is a period of calm and stability.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Despite the excitement Wednesday, Chu reacted with what may be near-record calm.
▪ What they amount to is an appeal for calm.
III.verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
down
▪ It is to everybody's advantage that Mr Mugabe calm down.
▪ My heart would not calm down.
▪ Yo, yo. Calm down.
▪ Very slowly Jessamy began to calm down just a little.
▪ She lit a cigarette and closed her eyes. Calm down.
▪ Set his Alsatians on me ... He won't. Calm down.
▪ Then I calmed down and asked a safe-looking lady with children to show me the way to the bus station.
■ NOUN
breath
▪ Taking controlled deep breaths will calm you down and get you into a more relaxed rhythm rather than a state of uncontrolled panic.
▪ At the hall cupboard she stopped, taking a deep steadying breath to calm the currents suddenly eddying through her body.
▪ She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.
▪ In addition, a couple of deep breaths calms the nerves wonderfully when your adrenalin is flowing.
▪ He wiped a trembling hand across his face, and took several deep breaths to calm himself down.
▪ I take a deep breath and try to calm myself, to still the noisy, rusty jagged parts.
fear
▪ Midland Bank, one of the trustees of the Dumenil funds, stepped in to calm investors' fears.
▪ If this made companies tremble, David Tweedie's pronouncements will have done nothing to calm their fears.
▪ But her host's calm demeanour as he scribbled a few notes and went on to the next call calmed her fears.
▪ The sounds of gunfire and shelling didn't do anything to calm my fears.
sea
▪ Only watching the sea for hours calmed her.
▪ On Friday the sea turns calm, and there are no more clams.
situation
▪ Your customer service representatives calm heated situations faster than the New York City fire department.
▪ Clergymen trying to calm the situation were beaten.
▪ Reinforcements were called and 25 police officers had to wade into the crowd to calm the situation.
▪ Two Notre Dame Sisters still live in Soweto, and are very calm about their situation.
▪ A dozen constables eventually calmed the situation and surrounded both dug-outs as the match was completed.
▪ In an effort to calm the situation the government had closed all educational institutions in Dhaka on Oct. 14.
storm
▪ The usual pattern was calm, then a storm.
▪ There was a time when we waved our scepters and calmed the storms.
things
▪ The inspector arrives when things have calmed down a bit.
▪ With good help, things calmed down.
▪ I think things will calm down very quickly.
▪ With their second child, Dierdre, things calmed down in just a few weeks.
▪ Stopping again for things to calm down I began to do a few unwelcome sums.
▪ Since last year, things have calmed down.
▪ Not until things calm down a bit.
traffic
▪ The purpose of the Bill is to introduce the concept of traffic calming into statute.
▪ We will encourage local authorities to introduce peak-hour bans on cars, traffic calming measures, car-sharing schemes and further pedestrianisation.
▪ A TRAFFIC calming scheme on a Darlington estate has been modified after bus companies threatened to boycott the area.
■ VERB
help
▪ It is thought to have helped calm tension.
▪ The first was to help Robbie to calm and soothe himself.
▪ I understood exam stress thanks to you - my daughter took me to the exams to help keep me calm.
▪ When Robbie did cross the line, his parents let him know then comforted him and helped him calm down.
keep
▪ It'd keep them calm, stop them lying awake at night.
▪ Some one must keep them calm or the scissors soon start to fly.
▪ I understood exam stress thanks to you - my daughter took me to the exams to help keep me calm.
▪ It keeps me calm, comforts me ....
manage
▪ Fortunately Winner managed to calm him down.
▪ I managed to calm him down by handing him my camera, just as one would do to mollify an angry child.
▪ But she managed to calm him down and seek help from a neighbour.
▪ The days of numbing despair had been reduced to quick flashes of temper that Duvall always managed to calm.
▪ At last you manage to calm yourself, and lie throbbing.
need
▪ He needs some one to calm him down.
▪ You really need to calm down and take life more stoically to reinforce your position.
▪ I need to mellow out, I need to calm down.
seem
▪ She settled him in his chair, and was relieved to see that he seemed to be calming down a little.
▪ The situation seemed fairly calm, I remember, when the first group of us arrived.
stay
▪ Sometimes the harder you try to stay calm the more difficult it becomes.
▪ I tried to stay calm: had I just been invited for a round at Muirfield?
tell
▪ If ministers itch to do more, they will be told to calm down.
▪ Dennis tells me to calm down, take a deep breath, and count back from a hundred.
▪ She told herself to calm down: at the worst they had lost each other and would have to go home separately.
try
▪ And Dexter tried to calm his faint resentment against her for casting a shadow over his optimistic mood.
▪ James was trying to calm them down.
▪ Uncle Alfred tried to calm them down, but they only screamed louder.
▪ Ritchie passed him the joint, sinking into his seat and exhaling as if trying to calm down.
▪ Henri watched him go, trying to calm himself down, distressed at how easily he had succumbed to Richmann's taunts.
▪ Let it be, I thought, still trying to calm myself down.
▪ I tried to calm her, made more tea.
▪ He felt her trying to calm him by her silence.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
calm/cool etc exterior
▪ Beneath his highly cool exterior he was anguished and distraught.
▪ It all added up to the fact that below Silas's cool exterior there was warmth and compassion for others.
▪ So you see, beneath that calm exterior lies a highly unstable child.
▪ There is little or no hint of the compassion and humanity which lay beneath the cool exterior.
▪ With her soft voice and her calm exterior, she absolutely would not let creditors off the hook.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Calm down, Morgan! Stop jumping around.
▪ His lawyer's assurances that he would be found not guilty did little to calm him.
▪ I waited until I'd calmed down a little, then went to talk to her.
▪ We were all very concerned and did our best to calm her.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Alan spends the rest of the conversation calming her down, explaining options to her.
▪ By this time Melissa's temper had calmed and her curiosity revived.
▪ He calmed down but continued to shiver with anticipation as I slipped on my shoes.
▪ It's more important right now to calm down.
▪ Leant back on my dressing table to calm down, clutched the handles.
▪ She went past displays of posters and stills for upcoming films, gradually calming herself.
Related phrases:
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Calm

Calm \Calm\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Calmed (k[aum]md); p. pr. & vb. n. Calming.] [Cf. F. calmer. See Calm, n.]

  1. To make calm; to render still or quiet, as elements; as, to calm the winds.

    To calm the tempest raised by Eolus.
    --Dryden.

  2. To deliver from agitation or excitement; to still or soothe, as the mind or passions.

    Passions which seem somewhat calmed.
    --Atterbury.

    Syn: To still; quiet; appease; allay; pacify; tranquilize; soothe; compose; assuage; check; restrain.

Calm

Calm \Calm\ (k[aum]m), n. [OE. calme, F. calme, fr. It. or Sp. calma (cf. Pg. calma heat), prob. fr. LL. cauma heat, fr. Gr. kay^ma burning heat, fr. kai`ein to burn; either because during a great heat there is generally also a calm, or because the hot time of the day obliges us seek for shade and quiet; cf. Caustic] Freedom from motion, agitation, or disturbance; a cessation or absence of that which causes motion or disturbance, as of winds or waves; tranquility; stillness; quiet; serenity.

The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
--Mark. iv. 39.

A calm before a storm is commonly a peace of a man's own making.
--South.

Calm

Calm \Calm\ (k[aum]m), a. [Compar. Calmer (-[~e]r); superl. Calmest (-[e^]st)]

  1. Not stormy; without motion, as of winds or waves; still; quiet; serene; undisturbed. ``Calm was the day.''
    --Spenser.

    Now all is calm, and fresh, and still.
    --Bryant.

  2. Undisturbed by passion or emotion; not agitated or excited; tranquil; quiet in act or speech. ``Calm and sinless peace.''
    --Milton. ``With calm attention.''
    --Pope.

    Such calm old age as conscience pure And self-commanding hearts ensure.
    --Keble.

    Syn: Still; quiet; undisturbed; tranquil; peaceful; serene; composed; unruffled; sedate; collected; placid.

Related phrases:
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
calm

late 14c., from Old French calme "tranquility, quiet," traditionally from Old Italian calma, from Late Latin cauma "heat of the mid-day sun" (in Italy, a time when everything rests and is still), from Greek kauma "heat" (especially of the sun), from kaiein "to burn" (see caustic). Spelling influenced by Latin calere "to be hot." Figurative application to social or mental conditions is 16c.

calm

late 14c., from Old French calme, carme "stillness, quiet, tranquility," from the adjective (see calm (adj.)).

calm

late 14c., from Old French calmer or from calm (adj.). Related: Calmed; calming.

Wiktionary
calm

  1. 1 (context of a person English) peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety. 2 (context of a place or situation English) Free of noise and disturbance. 3 (context of water English) with little waves on the surface. 4 without wind or storm. n. 1 (context in a person English) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion. 2 (context in a place or situation English) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance. 3 A period of time without wind. v

  2. 1 (context transitive English) To make calm. 2 (context intransitive English) To become calm.

Related phrases:
WordNet
calm

n. steadiness of mind under stress; "he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity" [syn: composure, calmness, equanimity] [ant: discomposure]

calm

  1. adj. not agitated; without losing self-possession; "spoke in a calm voice"; "remained calm throughout the uproar" [syn: unagitated]

  2. characterized by absence of emotional agitation; "calm acceptance of the inevitable"; "remained serene in the midst of turbulence"; "a serene expression on her face"; "she became more tranquil"; "tranquil life in the country" [syn: serene, tranquil]

  3. (of weather) free from storm or wind; "calm seas" [ant: stormy]

  4. marked by freedom from agitation or excitement; "the rioters gradually became calm and slowly dispersed"

calm

  1. v. make calm or still; "quiet the dragons of worry and fear" [syn: calm down, quiet, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise, quieten, lull, still] [ant: agitate]

  2. make steady; "steady yourself" [syn: steady, becalm]

  3. become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation; "After the fight both men need to cool off."; "It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again." [syn: calm down, cool off, chill out, simmer down, settle down, cool it]

  4. cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to; "The patient must be sedated before the operation" [syn: sedate, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise] [ant: stimulate]

Related phrases:
Gazetteer
Related phrases:
Wikipedia
CALM

Calm or CALM may refer to:

  • Calmness
  • Brooke
  • Intertropical Convergence Zone, also known as The Calms or doldrums, the area encircling the earth near the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds come together
Calm (music group)

Calm is an American hip hop group from Denver, Colorado. It consists of Time and AwareNess. The duo's first studio album, Anti-Smiles, was released in 2006.

Related phrases:

Usage examples of "calm".

Slina cut off, flicking a glance at Jord and Abel behind them, and Rimon became aware of the utter horror Jord was righting down, the weary but sick feeling in Abel as they listened to the calm discussion between two Gendealers.

It too was a prosperous and fairly large city, dominated by the temple precinct and palace atop a small acropolis, dreaming alongside its wide calm inlet.

Business was good in Massachusetts in the calm of 1772 and Adams prospered once again.

Jonny put in, striving to keep his voice calm as the memories of Adirondack swirled like swamp vapor through his mind.

Reality, or rather realism, calm, cold, selective, had no part at all in this story.

We sit side-by-side on the sofa watching the calm, perfectly-coifed anchorperson coordinate her own commentary with cuts to correspondents in various parts of North America and abroad.

As there was but one bed in the room, I asked Bellino, in as calm a tone as I could assume, whether he would have a fire lighted in another chamber, and my surprise may be imagined when he answered quietly that he had no objection to sleep in the same bed with me.

She answered with perfect calm that I had nothing to expect from her as she did not love me, and as for keeping the secret she defied me to disclose it.

There was a spate of recoveries whilst the fleet sat in the calm harbor of Anfa Antiqua, taking on fresh food and water and waiting for the small contingent of Afriquan mercenaries to get themselves, their gear, and their animals aboard the ships that would be joining the fleet.

At last calm was restored, and eventually the apes became accustomed to the strange antics of their craft, after which no more trouble was experienced with them.

He saw above him, in the clearness of the storm-scoured waning day, what appeared to be a golden structure rising from the summit, its shape a reassuring and infinitely calming sweep of dual archlike parabolas.

The air around Vo Mimbre became dead calm, and the Asturian archers cut down whole battalions of charging Malloreans.

Instinctively he leaned forward to squeeze her hand, a calming pressure to bring his own asynchronous heartbeats under control.

This speech was made quietly and with all the customary Winslow deliberation and apparent calm, but there was one little slip in it and that slip Babbitt was quick to notice.

It was good to be back in that calm, purposeful, well-ordered world, where an atmosphere of assured competence prevailed and questions of life and death were discussed in cool, measured undertones.