se·cure

[si-kyoor] adjective, se·cur·er, se·cur·est, verb, se·cured, se·cur·ing.
adjective
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.
3.
affording safety, as a place: He needed a secure hideout.
4.
in safe custody or keeping: Here in the vault the necklace was secure.
5.
free from care; without anxiety: emotionally secure.
6.
firmly established, as a relationship or reputation: He earned a secure place among the baseball immortals.
7.
sure; certain; assured: secure of victory; secure in religious belief.
8.
safe from penetration or interception by unauthorized persons: secure radio communications between army units.
9.
Archaic. overconfident.
verb (used with object)
10.
to get hold or possession of; procure; obtain: to secure materials; to secure a high government position.
11.
to free from danger or harm; make safe: Sandbags secured the town during the flood.
12.
to effect; make certain of; ensure: The novel secured his reputation.
13.
to make firm or fast, as by attaching: to secure a rope.
14.
Finance.
a.
to assure payment of (a debt) by pledging property.
b.
to assure (a creditor) of payment by the pledge or mortgaging of property.
15.
to lock or fasten against intruders: to secure the doors.
16.
to protect from attack by taking cover, by building fortifications, etc.: The regiment secured its position.
17.
to capture (a person or animal): No one is safe until the murderer is secured.
18.
to tie up (a person), especially by binding the person's arms or hands; pinion.
19.
to guarantee the privacy or secrecy of: to secure diplomatic phone conversations.
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verb (used without object)
20.
to be or become safe; have or obtain security.
21.
Nautical.
a.
to cover openings and make movable objects fast: The crew was ordered to secure for sea.
b.
to be excused from duty: to secure from general quarters.
Origin:
1525–35; < Latin sēcūrus carefree, equivalent to sē- se- + cūr(a) care (see cure) + -us adj. suffix; cf. sure

Related forms
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

Synonyms
1. protected. See safe. 2. stable, fast, fixed. 7. confident. 10. gain. See get. 11. protect, guard, safeguard. 12. assure, guarantee.

Antonyms
1. unsafe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To secure
Collins
World English Dictionary
secure (sɪˈkjʊə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
1.  free from danger, damage, etc
2.  free from fear, care, etc
3.  in safe custody
4.  not likely to fail, become loose, etc
5.  able to be relied on; certain: a secure investment
6.  nautical stowed away or made inoperative
7.  archaic careless or overconfident
 
—vb (when intr, often foll by against) (when intr, often foll by against)
8.  (tr) to obtain or get possession of: I will secure some good seats
9.  to make or become free from danger, fear, etc
10.  (tr) to make fast or firm; fasten
11.  to make or become certain; guarantee: this plan will secure your happiness
12.  (tr) to assure (a creditor) of payment, as by giving security
13.  (tr) to make (a military position) safe from attack
14.  nautical to make (a vessel or its contents) safe or ready by battening down hatches, stowing gear, etc
15.  (tr) nautical to stow or make inoperative: to secure the radio
 
[C16: from Latin sēcūrus free from care, from sē- without + cūra care]
 
se'curable
 
—adj
 
se'curely
 
—adv
 
se'curement
 
—n
 
se'cureness
 
—n
 
se'curer
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

secure
1530s, "without care," from L. securus "without care, safe," from *se cura, from se "free from" (see secret) + cura "care" (see cure). The verb is from 1590s. Meaning "firmly fixed" (of material things) is from 1841, on notion of "affording grounds for confidence."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Stay alert, secure wallets and bags, and store valuables in a hotel safe.
Our role is to protect consumers and enable them to secure value for money and
  benefit from reliable supplies.
The companies have spent the past six years working to secure permits to begin
  mining the ore.
Upload anything you need to keep to a secure site and delete the rest.
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