Dictionary

sure-fire en · ADJ

Etymology

From sure + fire, originally used to denote the efficacy of firearms (rifles) to fire.

Meanings

1. Guaranteed to work or happen.
   • I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns or worse yet, shutting down media, shutting down elections or shutting people out of the political process protects nothing. In fact, it is the most sure-fire way to destroy democracy. 2025 February 14, JD Vance, “Munich security conference speech in full”, in The Telegraph:
   • […] just as he knew that showing up for lunch with a brown bag full of dried squirrel jerky and mushrooms and lemongrass was a surefire way to end up social roadkill in the high school hierarchy, […] 2005, Cory Doctorow, Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town:
   • That hat should be a sure-fire way to spot him in a crowd.
   • There certainly looks to be a whole clutch of sure-fire winners among the 11 promised new productions. 2014 April 29, Andrew Clements, “ENO's 14/15 season: some sure-fire winners, while Coliseum plans will strengthen the company”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

Relateds

foolproof

Translations (2)

es infalible (Translations) · es seguro (Translations)