firmament

Noun

firmament (countable and uncountable, plural firmaments)

1. (also, figuratively, literary, poetic, uncountable, usually) The vault of the heavens, where the clouds, sun, moon, and stars can be seen; the heavens, the sky.
   • And thei that be wiſe, ſhal ſhine, as the brightnes of the firmament: & they that turne to righteouſnes, ſhal ſhine as the ſtarres, for euer and euer.1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. […] (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: […] Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Daniél XII:3, folio 364...
   • [T]his moſt excellent Canopie the ayre, looke you, this braue orehanging firmament, this maieſticall roofe fretted with golden fire, why it appeareth nothing to me but a foule and peſtilent congregation of vapoures.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604...

   Synonyms:

   lift, welkin

2. (countable) The field or sphere of an activity or interest.
   • the international fashion firmament
   • Europe dominated foreign policy concerns, followed by the Near East and China, where General George C[atlett] Marshall tried, in vain, to mediate a civil war. Japan glowed dimly in the foreign policy firmament.1997, Michael Schaller, “Japan: From Enemy to Ally, 1945–50”, in Altered States: The United States and Japan since the Occupation, New York, N.Y.; Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →ISBN...
3. (historical, uncountable) In the geocentric Ptolemaic system, the eighth celestial sphere which carried the fixed stars; (countable, by extension) any celestial sphere.
   • [B]etweene the ſphere of Saturne and the Firmament, there is ſuch an incredible and vaſt ſpace or diſtance (7000000. ſemidiameters of the earth, as Tycho [Brahe] calculates) void of ſtarres: [...]1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Ayre Rectified. With a Digression of the Ayre.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. […], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Robert Young, Miles...
   • But if we yet rise higher, and consider the fixed stars as so many vast oceans of flame, that are each of them attended with a different set of planets, and still discover new firmaments and new lights, that are sunk farther in those unfathomable depths of ether, so as not to be seen by the...1712 July 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “TUESDAY, July 2, 1712. Paper X. On the Pleasures of the Imagination.”, in The Spectator, number 420; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor...
4. (uncountable, obsolete except biblical) The abode of God and the angels; heaven.
   • Praiſe ye the Lord. Praiſe God in his Sanctuarie: Praiſe him in the firmament of his power.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalm 150:1, column 1
5. (countable, obsolete) A piece of jewellery worn in a headdress with numerous gems resembling stars in the sky.
   • Pins tipt with Diamond Point, and head, / By which the Curls are faſtened, / In radiant Firmament ſet out, / And all over the Hood ſur-tout: [...]1690, [Mary Evelyn], “A Voyage to Marryland; or, The Ladies Dressing-room”, in [John Evelyn], editor, Mundus Muliebris: Or, The Ladies Dressing-room Unlock’d, and Her Toilette Spread. […], London...
   • Firmament. Diamonds, or other precious Stones heading the Pins which they stick into the Tour, and Hair, like Stars.[1690, [Mary Evelyn], “The Fop-dictionary. […]”, in [John Evelyn], editor, Mundus Muliebris: Or, The Ladies Dressing-room Unlock’d, and Her Toilette Spread. […], London: […] R[ichard] Bentley […]...
6. (also, countable, figuratively, obsolete) A basis or foundation; a support.
   • Ten years ago, the Wall Street wirehouse brokerage firm seemed unassailable – part of the very firmament underpinning the entire investment industry from coast to coast.2012 January 25, Josh Brown, “Perhaps I’ve Been a Bit too Harsh …”, in Wealth Manager Blog, The Wall Street Journal, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2013
7. (countable, obsolete) The act or process of making firm or strengthening.