The term 'STATE FIRMLY' can be broken down into four separate words: DECLARE (7 letters), AVER (4 letters), ASSERT (6 letters), and AVOW (4 letters). DECLARE means to make a formal announcement or statement, while AVER is to affirm or DECLARE positively. ASSERT is to state something confidently and forcefully, and AVOW is to DECLARE something openly and firmly. All four words are synonyms for the phrase 'state firmly, ' which means to express an opinion or belief in a strong and definite way.