SURE

certain, sure

(adjective) exercising or taking care great enough to bring assurance; “be certain to disconnect the iron when you are through”; “be sure to lock the doors”

indisputable, sure

(adjective) impossible to doubt or dispute; “indisputable (or sure) proof”

sure, certain(p)

(adjective) having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured; “felt certain of success”; “was sure (or certain) she had seen it”; “was very sure in his beliefs”; “sure of her friends”

certain, sure

(adjective) certain to occur; destined or inevitable; “he was certain to fail”; “his fate is certain”; “In this life nothing is certain but death and taxes”- Benjamin Franklin; “he faced certain death”; “sudden but sure regret”; “he is sure to win”

certain, sure

(adjective) reliable in operation or effect; “a quick and certain remedy”; “a sure way to distinguish the two”; “wood dust is a sure sign of termites”

sure

(adjective) physically secure or dependable; “a sure footing”; “was on sure ground”

sure

(adjective) certain not to fail; “a sure hand on the throttle”

sure

(adjective) infallible or unfailing; “a sure (or true) sign of one’s commitment”

sure, trusted

(adjective) (of persons) worthy of trust or confidence; “a sure (or trusted) friend”

surely, certainly, sure, for sure, for certain, sure enough, sure as shooting

(adverb) definitely or positively (‘sure’ is sometimes used informally for ‘surely’); “the results are surely encouraging”; “she certainly is a hard worker”; “it’s going to be a good day for sure”; “they are coming, for certain”; “they thought he had been killed sure enough”; “he’ll win sure as shooting”; “they sure smell good”; “sure he’ll come”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

sure (comparative surer, superlative surest)

Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.

Certain in one's knowledge or belief.

Certain to act or be a specified way.

(obsolete) Free from danger; safe; secure.

(obsolete) Betrothed; engaged to marry.

Synonyms

• (secure and steadfast): certain, failsafe, reliable, sicker

• (steadfast in one's knowledge or belief): certain, positive, wis

Adverb

sure (comparative more sure, superlative most sure)

(modal adverb) Without doubt, certainly.

Usage notes

• Often proscribed in favor of surely. May be informal.

Interjection

sure

Yes. (Expresses noncommittal agreement or consent.)

Yes; of course.

Synonyms

• (noncommittal yes): OK, yes

Anagrams

• ERUs, Ersu, Reus, Rues, Ruse, US'er, rues, ruse, suer, ures, user

Source: Wiktionary


Sure, a. [Compar. Surer; superl. Surest.] Etym: [OE. sur, OF. seĂŒr, F. sĂ»r, L. securus; se aside, without + cura care. See Secure, and cf. Assure, Insure, Sicker sure.]

1. Certainly knowing and believing; confident beyond doubt; implicity trusting; unquestioning; positive. We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. Rom. ii. 2. I'm sure care 's an enemy of life. Shak.

2. Certain to find or retain; as, to be sure of game; to be sure of success; to be sure of life or health.

3. Fit or worthy to be depended on; certain not to fail or disappoint expectation; unfailing; strong; permanent; enduring. "His sure word." Keble. The Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord. 1 Sam. xxv. 28. The testimony of the Lord is sure. Ps. xix. 7. Which put in good sure leather sacks. Chapman.

4. Betrothed; engaged to marry. [Obs.] The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God. Sir T. More. I presume . . . that you had been sure as fast as faith could bind you, man and wife. Brome.

5. Free from danger; safe; secure. Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that we are sure enough. Shak.

– To be sure, or Be sure, certainly; without doubt; as, Shall you do To be sure I shall.

– To make sure. (a) To make certain; to secure so that there can be no failure of the purpose or object. "Make Cato sure." Addison. "A peace can not fail, provided we make sure of Spain." Sir W. Temple. (b) To betroth. [Obs.] She that's made sure to him she loves not well. Cotgrave.

Syn.

– Certain; unfailing; infallible; safe; firm; permanent; steady; stable; strong; secure; indisputable; confident; positive.

Sure, adv.

Definition: In a sure manner; safely; certainly. "Great, sure, shall be thy meed." Spenser. 'T is pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print. Byron.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

29 March 2024

FAULTFINDING

(adjective) tending to make moral judgments or judgments based on personal opinions; “a counselor tries not to be faultfinding”


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