secure

[ si-kyoor ]
See synonyms for: securesecuredsecuringsecurable on Thesaurus.com

adjective,se·cur·er, se·cur·est.
  1. free from or not exposed to danger or harm; safe.

  2. dependable; firm; not liable to fail, yield, become displaced, etc., as a support or a fastening: The building was secure, even in an earthquake.

  1. affording safety, as a place: He needed a secure hideout.

  2. in safe custody or keeping: Here in the vault the necklace was secure.

  3. free from care; without anxiety: emotionally secure.

  4. firmly established, as a relationship or reputation: He earned a secure place among the baseball immortals.

  5. sure; certain; assured: secure of victory;secure in religious belief.

  6. safe from penetration or interception by unauthorized persons: secure radio communications between army units.

  7. Archaic. overconfident.

verb (used with object),se·cured, se·cur·ing.
  1. to get hold or possession of; procure; obtain: to secure materials;to secure a high government position.

  2. to free from danger or harm; make safe: Sandbags secured the town during the flood.

  1. to effect; make certain of; ensure: The novel secured his reputation.

  2. to make firm or fast, as by attaching: to secure a rope.

  3. Finance.

    • to assure payment of (a debt) by pledging property.

    • to assure (a creditor) of payment by the pledge or mortgaging of property.

  4. to lock or fasten against intruders: to secure the doors.

  5. to protect from attack by taking cover, by building fortifications, etc.: The regiment secured its position.

  6. to capture (a person or animal): No one is safe until the murderer is secured.

  7. to tie up (a person), especially by binding the person's arms or hands; pinion.

  8. to guarantee the privacy or secrecy of: to secure diplomatic phone conversations.

verb (used without object),se·cured, se·cur·ing.
  1. to be or become safe; have or obtain security.

  2. Nautical.

    • to cover openings and make movable objects fast: The crew was ordered to secure for sea.

    • to be excused from duty: to secure from general quarters.

Origin of secure

1
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin sēcūrus “carefree,” equivalent to sē- se- + cūr(a) “care” (see cure) + -us, adjective suffix; cf. sure

synonym study For secure

1. See safe. 10. See get.

Other words for secure

Opposites for secure

Other words from secure

  • se·cur·a·ble, adjective
  • se·cure·ly, adverb
  • se·cure·ness, noun
  • se·cur·er, noun
  • o·ver·se·cure, adjective, verb (used with object), o·ver·se·cured, o·ver·se·cur·ing.
  • o·ver·se·cure·ly, adverb
  • pre·se·cure, verb (used with object), pre·se·cured, pre·se·cur·ing.
  • qua·si-se·cure, adjective
  • qua·si-se·cure·ly, adverb
  • re·se·cure, verb, re·se·cured, re·se·cur·ing.
  • su·per·se·cure, adjective
  • su·per·se·cure·ly, adverb
  • su·per·se·cure·ness, noun
  • un·se·cure, adjective
  • un·se·cure·ly, adverb
  • un·se·cure·ness, noun
  • well-se·cured, adjective

Words Nearby secure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use secure in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for secure

secure

/ (sɪˈkjʊə) /


adjective
  1. free from danger, damage, etc

  2. free from fear, care, etc

  1. in safe custody

  2. not likely to fail, become loose, etc

  3. able to be relied on; certain: a secure investment

  4. nautical stowed away or made inoperative

  5. archaic careless or overconfident

verb
  1. (tr) to obtain or get possession of: I will secure some good seats

  2. (when intr, often foll by against) to make or become free from danger, fear, etc

  1. (tr) to make fast or firm; fasten

  2. (when intr, often foll by against) to make or become certain; guarantee: this plan will secure your happiness

  3. (tr) to assure (a creditor) of payment, as by giving security

  4. (tr) to make (a military position) safe from attack

  5. nautical to make (a vessel or its contents) safe or ready by battening down hatches, stowing gear, etc

  6. (tr) nautical to stow or make inoperative: to secure the radio

Origin of secure

1
C16: from Latin sēcūrus free from care, from sē- without + cūra care

Derived forms of secure

  • securable, adjective
  • securely, adverb
  • securement, noun
  • secureness, noun
  • securer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012