Sure vs Definite - What's the difference?
sure | definite |
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
(obsolete) Betrothed; engaged to marry.
* Sir T. More
* Brome
Without doubt.
Having distinct limits.
* Whewell
Free from any doubt.
Determined; resolved.
(linguistics) Designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing.
In obsolete terms the difference between sure and definite
is that sure is betrothed; engaged to marry while definite is anything that is defined or determined.As adjectives the difference between sure and definite
is that sure is physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable while definite is having distinct limits.As an adverb sure
is without doubt.As an interjection sure
is yes, of course.As a noun definite is
anything that is defined or determined.sure
English
Adjective
(er)- Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off; / If we recover that we are sure enough.
- The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God.
- 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, wisDerived terms
* for sure * surely * sure up (sure)Adverb
(en adverb)- 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.Synonyms
* certainly, of course, OK, yesReferences
* 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology , Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192830988Statistics
*definite
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- definite''' dimensions; a '''definite''' measure; a '''definite period or interval
- Elements combine in definite proportions.
- definite knowledge
- (Shakespeare)
- the definite article