sure

sure
—sureness, n.
/shoor, sherr/, adj., surer, surest, adv.
adj.
1. free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something: to be sure of one's data.
2. confident, as of something expected: sure of success.
3. convinced, fully persuaded, or positive: to be sure of a person's guilt.
4. assured or certain beyond question: a sure victory.
5. worthy of confidence; reliable; stable: a sure messenger.
6. unfailing; never disappointing expectations: a sure cure.
7. unerring; never missing, slipping, etc.: a sure aim.
8. admitting of no doubt or question: sure proof.
9. destined; bound inevitably; certain: sure death.
10. Obs. secure; safe.
11. be sure, to take care (to be or do as specified); be certain: Be sure to close the windows.
12. for sure, as a certainty; surely: It's going to be a good day, for sure.
13. make sure, to be or become absolutely certain: I'm calling to make sure that you remember to come.
14. sure enough, Informal. as might have been supposed; actually; certainly: Sure enough, the picnic was rained out.
15. to be sure,
a. without doubt; surely; certainly.
b. admittedly: She sings well, to be sure, but she can't act.
adv.
16. Informal. certainly; surely: It sure is cold out. Sure, I'll come.
[1300-50; ME sur(e) < MF sur, OF seur < L securus SECURE]
Syn. 1. SURE, CERTAIN, CONFIDENT, POSITIVE indicate full belief and trust that something is true. SURE, CERTAIN, and POSITIVE are often used interchangeably. SURE, the simplest and most general, expresses mere absence of doubt. CERTAIN suggests that there are definite reasons that have freed one from doubt. CONFIDENT emphasizes the strength of the belief or the certainty of expectation felt. POSITIVE implies emphatic certainty, which may even become overconfidence or dogmatism.
Usage. Both SURE and SURELY are used as intensifying adverbs with the sense "undoubtedly, certainly." In this use, SURE is generally informal and occurs mainly in speech and written representations of speech: She sure dazzled the audience with her acceptance speech. It was sure hot enough in the auditorium. SURELY is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing, even the most formal: The court ruled that the law was surely meant to apply to both profit-making and nonprofit organizations. See also quick, slow.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sure — sure …   Dictionnaire des rimes

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  • sure — c.1300, safe, secure, later mentally certain (mid 15c.), from O.Fr. sur, seur safe, secure, from L. securus free from care, untroubled, heedless, safe (see SECURE (Cf. secure)). Pronunciation development followed that of SUGAR (Cf. sugar). As an… …   Etymology dictionary

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