sure

• sho
• sho'

From Middle English sure, seur, sur, borrowed from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”).

Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which was cognate.

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ʃɔː/, /ʃʊə/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊə(r), -ɔː(r)
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ʃʊəɹ/, /ʃɔɹ/, /ʃɝ/
• (General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ʃoː/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ʃ(ə)ɹ/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /sjuːɹ/, /sɪwɹ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Homophones: shaw, Shaw (in some non-rhotic dialects); shore (in some dialects)

sure (comparative surer, superlative surest)

1. Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.

   This investment is a sure thing.   The bailiff had a sure grip on the prisoner's arm.

2. Certain in one's knowledge or belief.
   • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 4, in The Celebrity:

     The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on an afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.

   He was sure she was lying.   I am sure of my eventual death.   John was acting sure of himself but in truth had doubts.

3. Certain to act or be a specified way.

   Be sure to lock the door when you leave.

4. (obsolete) Free from danger; safe; secure.
   • Shakespeare

     Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off; / If we recover that we are sure enough.

5. (obsolete) Betrothed; engaged to marry.
   • Sir T. More

     The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God.

   • Brome

     I presume […] that you had been sure as fast as faith could bind you, man and wife.

• (secure and steadfast): certain, failsafe, reliable, sicker
• (steadfast in one's knowledge or belief): certain, positive, wis

• for sure
• surely
• sure up

Pages starting with "sure".

sure (comparative more sure, superlative most sure)

1. (modal adverb) Without doubt, certainly.

   Sure he's coming! Why wouldn't he?

   "Did you kill that bear yourself? ―"I sure did!"

   • Charles Lamb

     These high and gusty relishes of life, sure,
     Have no allayings of mortality in them.

• Often proscribed in favor of surely. May be informal.

sure

1. Yes. (Expresses noncommittal agreement or consent.)

   "Do you want me to put this in the garage?" "Sure, go ahead."

2. Yes; of course.

   "Could you tell me where the washrooms are?" "Sure, they're in the corner over there."

• (noncommittal yes): OK, yes

• 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology, Oxford University Press, →ISBN

• ERUs, Ersu, Reus, Rues, Ruse, US'er, rues, ruse, suer, ures, user

sure

1. definite and plural of sur

sure

1. Indicative present connegative form of surra.
2. Second-person singular imperative present form of surra.
3. Second-person singular imperative present connegative form of surra.

• resu, seur.

• Rhymes: -yʁ

sure

1. feminine singular of sur

• rues
• ruse, rusé
• suer
• user

From Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus. Doublet of siker.

• sur, seur, seure, sewre, sewr, sewere, suer, suere, soure, suir, sere, sore

• IPA^(key): /sɛu̯r/, /siu̯r/, /suːr/

sure (comparative seurer)

1. safe, protected (not dangerous or harmful)
2. fortified, well-defended, protected; especially religiously
3. sure, certain, confirmed
4. sure-minded (certain of one's intent)
5. reliable, of good quality
6. sound, sturdy, hardy

• surely
• surement
• suren
• surenes
• surete

• English: sure
  • Japanese: シュア (shua)
• Scots: shuir

• “seur (adj.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-21.

sure

1. sure, surely, with no doubt or uncertainty
2. entirely, wholly, fully
3. While protecting something, with protection
4. With a tight grasp or grip

• English: sure
• Scots: shuir

• “seur (adv.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-21.

From sure (noun).

sure

1. Alternative form of suren

sure

1. singular definite of sur
2. plural of sur

sure

1. singular definite of sur
2. plural of sur

From Germanic, related to sūr (“sour”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈsuːre/

sūre f

1. sorrel

• IPA^(key): /ˈsure/

sure

1. genitive feminine singular of sur
2. dative feminine singular of sur
3. nominative feminine plural of sur
4. accusative feminine plural of sur
5. nominative neuter plural of sur
6. accusative neuter plural of sur
7. genitive feminine plural of sur
8. dative feminine plural of sur
9. genitive neuter plural of sur
10. dative neuter plural of sur

sure

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of sur.

From Arabic سُورَة‎ (sūra).

sure (definite accusative sureyi, plural sureler)

1. sura