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assure

[uh-shoo r, uh-shur]
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verb (used with object), as·sured, as·sur·ing.
  1. to declare earnestly to; inform or tell positively; state with confidence to: She assured us that everything would turn out all right.
  2. to cause to know surely; reassure: He assured himself that no one was left on the bus.
  3. to pledge or promise; give surety of; guarantee: He was assured a job in the spring.
  4. to make (a future event) sure; ensure: This contract assures the company's profit this month.
  5. to secure or confirm; render safe or stable: to assure a person's position.
  6. to give confidence to; encourage.
  7. Chiefly British. to insure, as against loss.
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Origin of assure

1325–75; Middle English as(e)uren, assuren < Old French aseurer < Late Latin assēcūrāre, equivalent to Latin as- as- + sēcūr- (see secure) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive suffix
Related formsas·sur·er, as·su·ror, nounin·ter·as·sure, verb (used with object), in·ter·as·sured, in·ter·as·sur·ing.pre·as·sure, verb (used with object), pre·as·sured, pre·as·sur·ing.un·as·sur·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

satisfyencouragepersuadereassureaffirmvowconfirmguaranteeinsureensuresecuresellinspirecomfortsoothebagheartenavercertifyswear

Examples from the Web for assure

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Those Westerners perform quite in that manner, I assure you.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • He could assure them they felt highly flattered at the reception which had been accorded them.

  • Oh, ma'am—you're very polite—I feel it a great compliment, I assure you.

  • Much against my liking, I assure you, said my brother, rudely interrupting her.

    Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)

    Samuel Richardson

  • But I know what your duties will be, and I assure you, my dear Hester, you will find the thing cannot be done.

    Weighed and Wanting

    George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for assure

assure

verb (tr; may take a clause as object)
  1. to cause to feel sure or certain; convinceto assure a person of one's love
  2. to promise; guaranteehe assured us that he would come
  3. to state positively or with assurance
  4. to make (an event) certain; ensure
  5. mainly British to insure against loss, esp of life
  6. property law another word for convey
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Derived Formsassurable, adjectiveassurer, noun

Word Origin

C14: from Old French aseürer to assure, from Medieval Latin assēcūrāre to secure or make sure, from sēcūrus secure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for assure

v.

late 14c., from Old French asseurer (12c., Modern French assurer) "to reassure, calm, protect, to render sure," from Vulgar Latin *assecurar, from Latin ad- "to" (see ad-) + securus "safe, secure" (see secure (adj.)). Related: Assured; assuring.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper