sure

sure [shoor]

adj..

surer surest th [OFr .seur < L securus: see SECURE]

1. Obs. secure or safe

2. that will not fail; always effective [a sure method]

3. that can be relied upon; trustworthy [a sure friend]

4. that cannot be doubted, questioned, or disputed; absolutely true; certain

5. having or showing no doubt; positive; confident [to be sure of one's facts]

6. that can be counted on to be or happen [a sure defeat]

7. bound or destined to do, experience, or be something specified [sure to be elected]

8. never missing; unerring [a sure aim]

adv.

surer, surest Informal

1. surely; inevitably

2. certainly; indeed: an intensive, often used as an affirmative answer to questions

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for sure

certain(ly); without doubt

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make sure

to be or cause to be certain

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sure enough

Informal certainly; without doubt

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to be sure

surely; certainly

sureness

n.

SYN.- SURE, the simple word, suggests merely an absence of doubt or hesitancy [I'm sure you don't mean it ]; CERTAIN usually suggests conviction based on specific grounds or evidence [this letter makes me certain of his innocence ]; CONFIDENT stresses the firmness of one's certainty or sureness, esp. in some expectation [she's confident she'll win ]; POSITIVE suggests unshakable confidence, esp. in the correctness of one's opinions or conclusions, sometimes to the point of dogmatism [he's too positive in his beliefs ] -ANT. DOUBTFUL