Forms: 5 ensuer, -sewer, 4– ensure. See also INSURE. [ad. AF. enseurer, f. en- (see EN-1) + OF. seur (mod.F. sûr) sure: the AF. vb. may be regarded as an alteration of OF. asseurer to ASSURE.
The word freq. occurs in individual MSS. of Chaucer, but the better attested reading in these passages is app. assure.
The form INSURE is properly a mere variant of ensure, and still occasionally appears in all the surviving senses. In general usage, however, it is now limited to the financial sense (with reference to ‘insurance’ of life or property, in which the form ensure is wholly obsolete.]
† 1. trans. To make (a person) mentally sure; to convince, render confident. Followed by subord. clause. Chiefly pass. and refl. Obs.
c. 1500. Melusine, 68. They were ensured that they wold & sought but good.
1568. Grafton, Chron. Hen. V., II. 495. The French enemies … ensured themselves to gaine … whatsoever before they had lost.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 147. That the body do not lock up [souls] there for the sake of its hardfastness or closeness, we are ensured.
† 2. To give security to, pledge one’s faith to (a person) for the execution of a promise. Obs.
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. xxxviii. (1859), 63. I ensure you feythfully, I shall brynge you to a place where ye shalle sene hym.
1557. K. Arthur (Copland), II. xiii. Here I ensure you by the faithe of my body neuer to departe.
† 3. To pledge one’s credit to (a person); to tell (a person) confidently that (something is true).
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2115, Ariadne. I swere & yow ensure This sevene yer I have youre servaunt be.
c. 1450. Why I can’t be a Nun, 364, in E. E. P. (1862), 147. So God me spede, I yow ensewer, Ellys yowre habyte ys no trew token.
1483. Caxton, Cato, C iiij. I ensure you that it is trouthe.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Z viij. I ensure the, the worme in the tymbre … doth not so muche domage.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xv. 314. She advised him rather to marry, ensuring him that no Lady in the land, how high soever, would refuse him for an husband.
† 4. To guarantee (a thing) to a person; to warrant (a fact). Const. to or dat. Obs.
1460. in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 62. Nay, that I you ensure.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 424/1. Testefyeng and ensuryng that the holy man fiacre was ful of wicked & euyl arte.
1528. Roy, Sat., b v. I durst ensure the one thynge.
1733. Neal, Hist. Purit., II. 574. All which he ensured upon his royal word.
† b. To guarantee (an expense). Obs.
1738. Johnson, Lett. Cave, in Boswell (1887), I. 122. And since the expense will be no more, I shall contentedly insure it.
† 5. To engage (a person) by a pledge or contract.
c. 1400. Rowland & O., 160. He es ensurede to myn eme & mee.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 9. Yn the same wise bene ye sworne and ensurid to kepe youre peple.
† b. esp. To engage by a promise of marriage, or (rarely) by marriage itself; to betroth, espouse. Cf. ASSURE 4. Obs.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lii. 1019. So that ensured thanne bothe they were, And for the Mariages they ordeyned there.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxl. heading, Howe the yonge erle of Flaunders ensured the kynges doughter of Englande. Ibid. (c. 1530), Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 237. Let vs … sende for the archbysshop, to thentent to ensure you togyther.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. i. 18. After his mother Mari was ensured to Joseph.
1558. Bp. Watson, Sev. Sacram., xxviii. 177. When the two parties … haue sayde these woordes, then bee they ensured and iustly married together.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 79 b. No other maide should be contracted and ensured to any husband, before those other were maryed.
6. To secure, make safe (against, from risks).
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, 337 (J.). A Certain Mendicant … contracted with a Country Fellow for such a quantity of Corn to Ensure his Sheep … for that Year.
1776. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., vii. (1876), 424. Sufficient to ensure us from all error and mistake.
1847. Mrs. A. Kerr, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Servia, 426. To ensure her friends against any sort of reaction.
1883. Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 5/3. The Swiss lake steamers are … too toylike to ensure their passengers against reasonably probable risks.
† 7. Comm. To INSURE (a person’s life, property, etc.). Obs.
1693. E. Halley, in Phil. Trans., XVII. 602. The price of ensuring the Life of a Man of 20 and 50.
1747. Scheme Equip. Mer of War, 40. ’Tis natural for us to ensure our Effects.
8. To make certain the occurrence or arrival of (an event), or the attainment of (a result); = ASSURE 5.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., VII. 633. All promise, some ensure, a second scene.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, Wks. 1842, II. 380/1. Whether the authority … can ensure their execution?
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, II. 339. Having taken no precautions to ensure regular supplies.
1879. W. H. White, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 80/1. By this arrangement it is ensured that there shall be no leak.
9. To make (a thing) sure to or for a person; to secure.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 518/2. Ensuring them the victory.
1799. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., I. 48. The only rule, which … can ensure for the officers … the conveniences which they have a right to expect.
1847. L. Hunt, Jar Honey, x. (1848), 138. It ensures us an intercourse with a nation we esteem!
1861. May, Const. Hist. (1863), I. i. 12. A constitutional government ensures to the King a wide authority.
