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adjective
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.
EXPANDworthy 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.
Obsolete. secure; safe.
11.
COLLAPSEbe sure, to take care (to be or do as specified); be certain: Be sure to close the windows.
adverb
12.
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Make sure
is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
13.
for sure, as a certainty; surely: It's going to be a good day, for sure.
14.
make sure, to be or become absolutely certain: I'm calling to make sure that you remember to come.
15.
sure enough, Informal. as might have been supposed; actually; certainly: Sure enough, the picnic was rained out.
16.
to be sure,
a.
without doubt; surely; certainly.
b.
admittedly: She sings well, to be sure, but she can't act.
Related forms
sure·ness, noun
o·ver·sure, adjective
o·ver·sure·ly, adverb
o·ver·sure·ness, noun
un·sure, adjective
EXPANDSynonyms
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.
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 note
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. EXPANDSee also quick, slow.
COLLAPSE
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. EXPANDSee also quick, slow.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To make sure
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
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). Pronunciation development followed that of sugar. As an affirmative meaning
EXPAND"yes, certainly" it dates from 1803, from M.E. meanings "firmly established, having no doubt," and phrases like to be sure (1650s), sure enough (1540s), and for sure (1580s). The use as a qualifier meaning "assuredly" goes back to early 15c. Sure-footed is from 1630s; sure-fire first attested 1901; sure thing dates from 1836. In 16c.-17c., Suresby was an appellation for a person to be depended upon.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
make sure
-
Make certain, establish something without doubt, as in Make sure all the doors are locked. It is also put as make sure of, as in Before you make that speech, make sure of your facts. This usage was first recorded in 1565.
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make sure of. Act so as to be certain of something, as in He wanted to make sure of his own district before seeking support elsewhere. This usage was first recorded in 1673.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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