Surly vs Sure - What's the difference?
surly | sure |
(obsolete) Lordly, arrogant, supercilious.
Irritated, bad-tempered, unfriendly.
Threatening, menacing, gloomy.
(obsolete) In an arrogant or supercilious manner.
* 1623 , , Julius Caesar , I.iii,
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.
As adjectives the difference between surly and sure
is that surly is (obsolete) lordly, arrogant, supercilious while sure is .As an adverb surly
is (obsolete) in an arrogant or supercilious manner.surly
English
Adjective
(er)- The surly weather put us all in a bad mood.
Adverb
(er)- Against the Capitol I met a lion / Who glazed upon me, and went surly
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!"