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make sure

 - 4 dictionary results

sure

  [shoor, shur] adjective, sur⋅er, sur⋅est, adverb
–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. 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. Obsolete. secure; safe.
11. be sure, to take care (to be or do as specified); be certain: Be sure to close the windows.
–adverb
12. Informal. certainly; surely: It sure is cold out. Sure, I'll come.
—Idioms
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.
Use make sure in a Sentence
Origin:
1300–50; ME sur(e) < MF sur, OF seur < L sēcūrus secure

Related forms:
sureness, noun

Synonyms:
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. See also quick, slow.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To make sure
sure   (shŏŏr, shûr)   
adj.   sur·er, sur·est

  1. Impossible to doubt or dispute; certain.

  2. Not hesitating or wavering; firm: sure convictions.

  3. Confident, as of something awaited or expected: sure of ultimate victory.

    1. Bound to come about or happen; inevitable: sure defeat.

    2. Having one's course directed; destined or bound: sure to succeed.

    3. Worthy of being trusted or depended on; reliable.

    4. Free from or marked by freedom from doubt: sure of her friends.

  5. Certain not to miss or err; steady: a sure hand on the throttle.

    1. Worthy of being trusted or depended on; reliable.

    2. Free from or marked by freedom from doubt: sure of her friends.

  7. Careful to do something: asked me to be sure to turn off the stove.

  8. Obsolete Free from harm or danger; safe.

adv.   Informal
Surely; certainly.

[Middle English, from Old French, safe, from Latin sēcūrus; see secure.]
sure'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean feeling or showing no doubt. Sure and certain are frequently used interchangeably; sure, however, is the more subjective term, whereas certain may imply belief based on experience or evidence: "Never teach a child anything of which you are not yourself sure" (John Ruskin). "In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes" (Benjamin Franklin).
Confident suggests assurance founded on faith or reliance in oneself or in others: The senator is confident of reelection.
Positive suggests full, emphatic certainty: The prosecutor had positive proof of the defendant's guilt. See Also Synonyms at certain.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sure 
c.1300, "safe, secure," later "mentally certain" (c.1450), 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 "yes, certainly" it dates from 1803, from M.E. meanings "firmly established, having no doubt," and phrases like to be sure (1657), sure enough (1545), and for sure (1586). The use as a qualifier meaning "assuredly" goes back to 1425. Sure-footed is from 1633; sure-fire first attested 1901; sure thing dates from 1836. In 16c.-17c., Suresby was an appellation for a person to be depended upon.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

make sure

  1. 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.

  2. 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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