sure

Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.

Adjective

  1. Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.
    • This investment is a sure thing.
    • The bailiff had a sure grip on the prisoner's arm.
    • 'In the end,' said Mustapha Mond, 'the Controllers realized that force was no good. The slower but infinitely surer methods of ectogenesis, Neo-Pavlovian conditioning and hypnopædia…' - 1932, Aldous Huxley, Brave New...
  2. Certain in one's knowledge or belief.
    • The very excess of the extravagance, in fact, by suggesting to the reader continually the mere aeriality of the entire speculation, furnishes the surest means of disenchanting him from the horror which might else gather...
    • The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs....
    • Roy: I'm 95% sure it was him. Jen: You... you said you were 99% sure. Roy: I'm 97% sure it was him. - 2008 November 21, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, Season 3, Episode 1
  3. Certain to act or be a specified way.
    • Be sure to lock the door when you leave.
  4. Free from danger; safe; secure.
    • Feare not: the Forreſt is not three leagues off, / If we recouer that, we are ſure enough. - c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies,...
  5. Betrothed; engaged to marry.
    • c. 1513-1518 (probably date written, published after 1535) Thomas More, History of King Richard III The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God.
    • I presum'd […] [that] you had been sure, as fast as faith could bind you, man and wife. - 1632, Richard Brome, The Northern Lass:

Origin

From Middle English sure, seur, sur, from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), as well as Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which it was cognate.

Forms

surer surest sho sho'

Synonyms

certain failsafe reliable sicker positive wis

Derived

are you sure you're sure as sure as eggs are eggs as sure as eggs is eggs cock-sure cocksure damn sure footsure for sure I'm sure make sure oversure self-sure slow but sure wins the race snowsure sure as a gun sure as death sure as death and taxes sure as eggs sure as eggs are eggs sure as eggs is eggs sure as fate sure as hell sure as shit sure as shooting

Adverb

  1. Without doubt, certainly.
    • Sure he's coming! Why wouldn't he?
    • "Did you kill that bear yourself?" ―"I sure did!"
    • It sure is cold out
  2. Without fail, surely.
    • Theſe are the wings ſhall make it flie as ſwift, As dooth the lightening: or the breath of heauen, And kill as ſure as it ſwiftly flies. - c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […]...

Forms

more sure most sure sho sho'

Interjection

  1. Yes; of course.
    • "Could you tell me where the washrooms are?" "Sure, they're in the corner over there."
  2. Yes; I guess; you could say that; a weak or noncommittal positive response.
    • "Do you like cats?" "Sure."
    • "Do you want me to put this in the garage?" "Sure, go ahead."
  3. You're welcome; polite response to being thanked.
    • "Thanks for helping me with that electrical fault." "Sure. Any time."

Forms

sho sho'

Synonyms

OK yes of course

Related

assure ensure insure