surety

[shoor-i-tee, shoor-tee, shur-i-tee, shur-tee]

noun

plural

sureties 

1. security against loss or damage or for the fulfillment of an obligation, the payment of a debt, etc.; a pledge, guaranty, or bond.

2. a person who is legally responsible for the debt, default, or delinquency of another.

3. a person who, as a sponsor, godparent, etc., has assumed or accepted responsibility for another's debts or behavior.

4. the state or quality of being sure.

5. certainty.

6. something that makes sure; ground of confidence or safety.

7. assurance, especially self-assurance.

surety

/ ˈʃʊətɪ, ˈʃʊərɪtɪ /

noun

1. a person who assumes legal responsibility for the fulfilment of another's debt or obligation and himself becomes liable if the other defaults

2. security given against loss or damage or as a guarantee that an obligation will be met

3. obsolete,  the quality or condition of being sure

4. obsolete,  a means of assurance or safety

5. to act as a surety

Other Word Forms

• oversurety noun
• subsurety noun
• suretyship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of surety¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English surte from Middle French; Old French seurte from Latin sēcūritāt-, stem of sēcūritās security

Word History and Origins

Origin of surety¹

C14: from Old French seurte, from Latin sēcūritās _security

Example Sentences

He was released on a $75,000 surety bond, and then he vanished.

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"So being able to give greater surety, greater security is going to be key to viable farming structure going forward."

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Even while what is depicted onscreen veers wildly out of control, there is a sense of surety to the filmmaking that makes this one of the freshest movies of the year.

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While Lim’s mature eloquence was never in question, the surety and exquisite beauty of his playing in impressive display, his was a perfectionist performance of getting everything to work just right.

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“Governments are attempting to give surety, that this is a long-term supply deal,” he says.

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