Dictionary

surety en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈʃʊəɹəti/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈʃʊɹəti/ (General-American)
• /ˈʃɔːɹɪti/ pour–poor merger
• /ˈʃʊəɹɪti/ without the pour–poor merger

Etymology

From Middle English surete, attested since the early 1300s in the sense "guarantee, promise, pledge, assurance", from Anglo-Norman seurté/Old French seurté with the same meaning (whence modern French sûreté), from Latin sēcūritās. Equivalent to sure + -ty. The senses "security, safety, stability" and "certainty" are attested since the late 1300s. "One who undertakes to pay if another does not" is from the early 1400s. Doublet of security.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Certainty.
   • Know of a surety, that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 15:13:
   • For the more surety they looked round about. a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
2. (countable, uncountable) That which makes sure; that which confirms; ground of confidence or security.
   • [We] our happy state Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds; On other surety none. 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
3. (countable, uncountable) A promise to pay a sum of money in the event that another person fails to fulfill an obligation.
   • There remains unpaid A hundred thousand more; in surety of the which One part of Aquitaine is bound to us. c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
4. (countable, uncountable) One who undertakes to pay money or perform other acts in the event that his principal fails therein.
   • He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 11:15:
   • Trump’s lawyers said two days ago that to post a bond covering the full amount of the $454m civil fraud judgment against him while he appeals was “a practical impossibility” after 30 surety companies turned him down. 2024 March 20, “New York attorney general could soon move to seize Trump’s property”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
5. (countable, uncountable) A substitute; a hostage.
   • ...It happen’d on a solemn eventide, Soon after He that was our surety died, Two bosom friends, each pensively inclined, The scene of all those sorrows left behind, Sought their own village, busied as they went In musings worthy of the great event: They spake of Him they loved, of Him whose life, Though blameless, had incurr’d perpetual strife, Whose deeds had left, in spite of hostile arts, A deep memorial graven on their hearts... 1782, William Cowper, “Conversation”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC:
6. (countable, uncountable) Evidence; confirmation; warrant.
   • She called the saints to surety, That she would never put it from her finger, Unless she gave it to yourself. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:

Forms

Deriveds

surety bond · cosurety · suretyship · nonsurety · of a surety · suretiship · countersurety · unsurety

Relateds

surcharged · indorsement · guarantor · surcharge

Synonyms

suretor

Translations (37)

hu készfizető kezes (law: one who undertakes such promise) · fr caution (law: one who undertakes such promise) · ru пору́ка (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · la vas (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · pl poręczyciel (law: one who undertakes such promise) · hu kezes (law: one who undertakes such promise) · la fidēiussor (law: one who undertakes such promise) · it fideiussore (law: one who undertakes such promise) · nl borg (law: one who undertakes such promise) · it fideiussione (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · ga urra (law: one who undertakes such promise) · sv borgensman (law: one who undertakes such promise) · eo garantiulo (substitute; hostage) · cy mechnïydd (law: one who undertakes such promise) · nl borgtocht (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · ru поручитель (law: one who undertakes such promise) · nl borgsteller (law: one who undertakes such promise) · enm borwe (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · enm borwe (law: one who undertakes such promise) · hu (készfizető/készpénzfizető) kezesség (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · de Bürge (law: one who undertakes such promise) · sv borgen (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · pt caução (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · fr cautionnement (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · bg поръчител (law: one who undertakes such promise) · pt fiador (law: one who undertakes such promise) · hu készpénzfizető kezes (law: one who undertakes such promise) · ko 보증 (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · fi takaus (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · es fianza (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · es fiador (law: one who undertakes such promise) · de Bürgschaft (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · grc ῥύσιον (law: promise to pay on behalf of another) · grc βεβαιωτής (law: one who undertakes such promise) · cy mechnïwr (law: one who undertakes such promise) · fi takaaja (law: one who undertakes such promise) · hu jótállás (law: promise to pay on behalf of another)