Also 4 aseure, asseure, (Sc. assower), 5 asure, 6 assurre. [a. OF. aseürer (mod. assurer), cogn. with Pr. assegurar, It. assecurare:—late L. adsēcūrāre, f. ad to + sēcūrus safe: see ASSECURE, SECURE, and SURE.]
† 1. trans. To render safe or secure (from attack or danger); to secure. Obs.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxx. (1483), 80. He hath no more to care fore … but his propre persone, whiche he wil assuren as ferforth as he may.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 1573. Yhour cuntre and yhour lond he will assurre.
1595. Bedingfield, Hist. Florence, 2. Neither was … Bretagne … assured from suche invasion.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. i. § 6. 564. The Romans, the better to assure themselves, cut a deep trench.
† b. To secure to oneself, make sure of. Obs.
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Agric. (1622), 191. Being of opinion rather to keep and assure the places suspected.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. vi. 26. To assure that City to his Service.
c. To make safe from or against (of obs.) risks; to insure. esp. in mod. usage To assure life: to secure the payment of a specified sum in the event of death. Also absol. (Cf. ASSURANCE 5.)
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1629. Of whiche no creature Save only she ne myghte hys lyf assure.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. viii. 147. The fruytes … ben … more assured of tempestes and other greuaunces.
1852. McCulloch, Comm. Dict., 755. Persons assuring their own lives. Ibid., 756. Those who assure with this Company will participate in the profits.
1884. Manch. Exam., 26 June, 5/1. If they could be assured against any unpleasant consequences.
2. To make secure against change or overthrow; to make stable, establish securely.
1494. Fabyan, II. xxx. 22. The whiche condicions well and suerly vpon the Dukes partie … assured.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., 621. Force, feare, and the multitude of his gard, assure not the estate of a prince so well, as the good-will … of his subjects.
1678. Dryden, Œdipus, Epil. 23. As weak States each other’s Pow’r assure, Weak Poets by Conjunction are secure.
1848. Lytton, Harold (1862), 102. The two chiefs who most assured his throne.
† 3. To secure or make sure the possession or reversion of; to convey property by deed. Obs.
1572. Act 14 Eliz., xi. § 5, in Oxf. & Camb. Enactments, 33. All such Houses and Groundes may bee granted dimised and assured.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faustus, v. 54. And with my proper blood Assure my soul to be great Lucifers.
1611. Bible, Lev. xxvii. 19. He shal adde the fift part of the money of thy estimation vnto it, and it shall be assured to him.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. I. 41. He assur’d to himself the whole Countrey of Champagne.
† 4. To make sure for marriage, affiance, betroth or engage. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 190. He wol her wedde, and upon this Assured eche til othir is.
1494. [see ASSURANCE 2.]
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Agric., 242. He assured to me his daughter.
5. To make certain the occurrence or arrival of (an event); to ensure.
1622. T. Scott, Belg. Pismire, 4. To assure a better life hereafter.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 284. Yet is not the Success for Years assur’d.
1863. Mrs. C. Clarke, Shaks. Char., i. 10. Nothing which shall assure the accomplishment of her purpose.
1878. B. Taylor, Deukalion, I. ii. 27. Forever shall betray it and assure My coming triumph.
6. To make certain (a thing doubtful). arch.
1682. Dryden, Relig. Laici, 6. Not to assure our doubtful way.
1832. Lewis, Use & Ab. Pol. Terms, Introd. 2. Assuring the results or detecting the fallacies.
† 7. trans. To guarantee: a. (a thing to a person); to promise as a thing that may be depended on. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIX. 8001. All þo couenandes to kepe … This he sadly assurit at the same tyme.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys, 31. They hym assuryd with scrypture and seel Evere cloos to kepyn al hys counseel.
c. 1450. Merlin, xxvi. 482. Assureth me youre feith to holde me companye.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia (1629), 74. The President assuring the King perpetual love.
1680. Life Edw. II., in Harl. Misc. (1793), 36. He assures a reformation.
b. a person from a thing. rare.
1820. Scott, Ivanhoe, iv. I will assure you from all deaths but a violent one.
† c. absol. or with subord. cl. To give a guarantee, promise, pledge oneself. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Doctor’s T., 143. This juge … made him to assure He schulde telle it to no creature.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXVI. 10475. He assentid full sone, asurit with hond.
c. 1450. Merlin, x. 145. Than thei swore and assured to-geder that neuer shulde thei be gladde till thei were avenged.
8. trans. Togive confidence to, confirm, encourage.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 225. His gentill hert and vorthy Assurit him intill that neide.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 37. Youre humanité Assureth us and giveth us hardynesse.
1477. Earl Rivers, Dictes, 83. His corage, by the whiche he shalbe the more assured in all his nedis.
1591. Spenser, Bellay’s Vis., vii. By more and more she gan her wings t’ assure.
1611. Bible, 1 John iii. 19. And hereby we … shall assure our hearts before him.
1853. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. v. 76. A pure man forgives, or pleads for mercy, or assures the penitent.
b. refl. (in sense of c.) Obs.
c. 1370. Lay-Folks Mass-Bk., App. iv. 223. In Marie · I me aseure.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Atheism (Arb.), 339. Man, when he resteth and assureth himselfe, vpon diuine Protection.
1641. Warmstry, Blind Guide, 18. To assure our selves upon that promise of our Lord Jesus.
† c. intr. To have confidence, trust, rely. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XI. 309. In hys hey cheualry Thai assoweryt rycht soueranly.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 681. As frend fullich yn me assure, And tel me plat what is thencheson.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., V. 185. Towarde nyght in restyng thai assure.
† d. refl. & intr. To be so bold as, dare, venture.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 908. Late no gentyl woman hyre assure To pottyn hire in swich an aventure.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. xv. 95. He na langar durst … Assure for to debait hym with his speir.
9. trans. To make (a person) sure or certain (of a fact, or that it is).
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 186. That ye me wolde assure and say With such an othe, as ye woll take.
a. 1555. Latimer, Wks. (1845), II. 491. By him I could assure you, if I had time.
c. 1590. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., II. iii. Thy words assure me of kind success.
1611. Bible, 2 Tim. iii. 14. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of.
1658. Whole Duty Man, iv. § 2 (1684), 38. The use of oaths being to assure the persons to whom they are made.
1843. Mill, Logic, III. xvii. § 1. To consider how we are to assure ourselves of its truth.
1879. Miss Braddon, Vixen, III. 287. What can I do to assure you of my love?
b. refl. and pass. To feel certain or satisfied.
1484. Skelton, Death Edw. IV., 17. Who to lyue euer may himselfe assure?
1538. Starkey, England, 154. Of thys we may be assuryd.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 52. Assure your selfe, I will not you forsake.
1767. Fordyce, Serm. Yng. Wom., I. i. 9. Be assured it proceeds from real regard.
1826. Scott, Woodst., iv. Assure yourself, sir … that his sagacity saw in this man a stranger.
1870. Bryant, Homer, IV. I. 105. Be at least assured That all the other gods approve it not.
10. To tell (a person) confidently as a thing that he may trust (that it is, or of its being).
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 43/1. I assure him quod the Archebishoppe … it will neuer bee soo well as wee haue seene it.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., II. ii. 109. Quick. I think you have charms…. Fal. Not I, I assure thee.
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 439. Thucydides assures us ’t was built 5 years after Syracuse.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 508, ¶ 5. I assure you these are things worthy your consideration.
1876. Green, Short Hist., viii. § 2 (1882), 477. The Spanish ambassador … was assured that no effectual aid should be sent to the Palatinate.
Mod. He assured us of his own willingness to go.
† b. with second object. Obs.
1644. Slingsby, Diary (1836), 127. The man … that assured me the truth of it.
a. 1718. Penn, Life, Wks. 1726, I. 22. Their Age no Antiquary living can assure us.
† 11. trans. To state positively, to affirm. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. xxix. 23. This I testifie and assure.
1587. Fenner, Def. Ministers, B ij b. When the people is … secure, to bee more diligent in assuring threatninges.
1598. Greenwey, Tacitus’ Ann., III. ii. I will not assure either of those things.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. Virt. Faith. About which neither Socrates nor Seneca could assure anything.
† b. with subord. cl. or inf. phr. Obs.
1509. Fisher, Wks. (1876), 293. Whether slepynge or wakyng she could not assure.
1638. Heywood, Wise Wom., IV. i. Wks. 1874, V. 329. If hee assure to know mee, I’le out face him.
1708. Swift, Predict. for 1708, Wks. 1755, II. I. 150. I cannot … so confidently assure the events will follow exactly as I predict them.
