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assure

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To assure is to make a statement for the purpose of inspiring morale or belief in someone (verb)

An example of a time during which a nurse might assure family members is when someone is going into surgery.

To assure is to make someone confident in their beliefs and ideas. (verb)

An example of a time when some may assure himself is when he leaves the house and reminds himself that he did check to make sure all of the lights are turned out.

To assure is to make a commitment or promise. (verb)

An example of a time when someone might assure something is a salesperson promising that a product will work.

See assure in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb assured, assuring

to make (a person) sure of something; convince
to give confidence to; reassure: the news assured us
to declare to or promise confidently: I assure you I'll be there
to make (a doubtful thing) certain; guarantee
to make safe or secure
Chiefly Brit. to insure against loss, esp. of life

See assure in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(ə-sho͝orˈ)

transitive verb as·sured, as·sur·ing, as·sures

To inform positively, as to remove doubt: assured us that the train would be on time.
To cause to feel sure: assured her of his devotion.
To give confidence to; reassure.
To make certain; ensure: “Nothing in history assures the success of our civilization” (Herbert J. Muller).
To make safe or secure.
Chiefly British To insure, as against loss.

Related Forms:

as·surˈa·ble adjective

as·surˈer, as·surˈor noun

Usage Note: Assure, ensure, and insure all mean “to make secure or certain.” Only assure is used with reference to a person in the sense of “to set the mind at rest”: assured the leader of his loyalty. Although ensure and insure are generally interchangeable, only insure is now widely used in American English in the commercial sense of “to guarantee persons or property against risk.”

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