# secure

Pronunciation: US say "suh-KYUUR" /səˈkjʊɹ/; UK say "si-KYOOR" /sɪˈkjʊə(ɹ)/

## Adjective

1. Protected from danger, attack, or theft; safe.
   - Simple: Safe and protected, so that it cannot easily be attacked, harmed, or stolen.
   - _The fortress remained secure throughout the long siege._
   - _The new locks and alarm system made the warehouse far more secure against break-ins._
6. Protected against being overheard, intercepted, or discovered, and so kept secret.
   - Simple: Safe from being listened to, read, or found out by others.
   - _Diplomats exchanged messages over a secure channel._
   - _The app promises secure messaging that no one else can read._
7. Firm and stable; not likely to fail or give way.
   - Simple: Firmly fixed in place and not likely to fail or fall.
   - _The climbers tested each foothold to be sure it was secure._
   - _A wide base keeps the tower secure in high winds._
8. Free from anxiety or doubt; emotionally calm and unafraid.
   - Simple: Feeling calm and safe, without worry or fear.
   - _She feels secure in her marriage after years of trust._
   - _A stable home life helps children grow up feeling secure._
10. Confident in one's opinion; certain and free from doubt; often used with 'in'.
   - Simple: Feeling completely sure about something and having no doubt.
   - _Having checked every figure twice, the analyst felt secure in her conclusions and answered the board's questions calmly._
   - _Critics were secure in their judgment of the painting._
11. Of an investment, income, job or the like, free from the risk of financial loss; dependable and reliable.
   - Simple: Safe from losing money and able to be trusted.
   - _Retirees often prefer secure investments over risky ones._
   - _The pension offers a secure income for life._
12. Certain to be achieved or gained; regarded as assured.
   - Simple: Certain to be reached, won, or gained.
   - _Victory looked secure once the other team lost its captain._
   - _With a twelve-point lead and only two minutes left to play, the team's place in the final looked secure._

## Verb

2. To get possession of something; to obtain or acquire it with certainty.
   - Simple: To get or obtain something, often after trying hard.
   - _Volunteers worked hard to secure funding for the shelter._
   - _The company finally secured exclusive rights to the new design._
3. To make safe; to guard or protect from exposure to danger.
   - Simple: To make something safe and protect it from danger.
   - _Troops moved in to secure the area before the convoy arrived._
   - _New locks helped secure the warehouse from intruders._
4. To make fast; to close or confine something so firmly that it cannot get loose or escape.
   - Simple: To fasten something tightly so it cannot come loose or escape.
   - _Sailors secured the cargo below deck before the storm hit._
   - _Always secure the ladder against the wall before climbing it._
5. To put beyond the hazard of losing or not receiving; to make certain or assure.
   - Simple: To make sure you will get or keep something.
   - _A written partnership agreement will secure your share of the profits if the business is ever sold._
   - _The new amendment secured every citizen's right to a trial by jury._
9. To back a loan or debt with property that the lender has a right to seize if the borrower fails to repay.
   - Simple: To promise a lender they can take something you own if you do not pay back a loan or debt.
   - _Small businesses often secure bank loans with their equipment or inventory._
   - _The bonds were secured by the company's warehouses, which bondholders could claim if it defaulted._

## Adjective

13. Overconfident and incautious; careless because too free from worry. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Too sure of yourself, and so not careful enough.

## Verb

14. To plight or pledge; to bind oneself by a solemn promise. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To make a solemn promise or pledge to someone.

## Origin

Borrowed from Latin sēcūrus, meaning "free from care, safe, free from danger," formed from sē- ("without") and cūra ("care"). It is a doublet of sure.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/secure (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).