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Sure vs Assure - What's the difference?

sure | assure |

In obsolete terms the difference between sure and assure

is that sure is betrothed; engaged to marry while assure is to guarantee, promise (to do something).

As an adjective sure

is physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.

As an adverb sure

is without doubt.

As an interjection sure

is yes, of course.

As a verb assure is

to make sure and secure.

sure

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.
  • Certain in one's knowledge or belief.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=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.}}
  • Certain to act or be a specified way.
  • (obsolete) Free from danger; safe; secure.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off; / If we recover that we are sure enough.
  • (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.

    Synonyms

    * (secure and steadfast) certain, failsafe, reliable * (sense, steadfast in one's knowledge or belief) certain, positive, wis

    Derived terms

    * for sure * surely * sure up (sure)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Without doubt.
    • Sure he's coming! Why wouldn't he?
    "Did you kill that bear yourself? ?"I sure did!"

    Usage notes

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

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (rft-sense) Yes, of course.

    • Synonyms

    * certainly, of course, OK, yes

    References

    * 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology , Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192830988

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * * * English modal adverbs 1000 English basic words ----

    assure

    English

    Verb

    (assur)
  • To make sure and secure.
  • To give (someone) confidence in the trustworthiness of (something).
    • I assure you that the program will work smoothly when we demonstrate it to the client.
    He assured of his commitment to her happiness.
  • (obsolete) To guarantee, promise (to do something).
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.ii:
    • That as a law for euer should endure; / Which to obserue in word of knights they did assure .
  • To reassure.