Reading Theme:
Assure: Definition, Examples, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：to reassure (assure)
assure
/əˈʃʊr/
vt.
To tell someone something positively to remove their doubts or fears.
to reassure
➕
/tə ˌriː.əˈʃʊr/
vt.
To tell someone something positively in order to remove their doubts or fears, giving them confidence.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin ad- (to) + securus (safe), via Old French asseurer, meaning to make safe or certain.
💡 Mnemonic
Think 'a sure' – assure means to make something 'sure' for someone, removing their worries.
📖 Example
Before the exam, my best friend assured me that I had prepared well enough to pass.
Before the exam, my best friend assured me that I had prepared well enough to pass.
🔗 Collocations
assure someone of something – to tell someone confidently that something is true or will happen
assure someone that – to say something to remove someone's doubts
rest assured – used to tell someone not to worry
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
doubt (v.) – to feel uncertain about something
alarm (v.) – to cause someone to feel frightened or worried
discourage (v.) – to cause someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Originating from Latin 'ad securus', assure evolved through legal and commercial contexts to express the act of removing doubt or guaranteeing an outcome, often contrasted with ensure (to make certain) and insure (to indemnify).
Meaning 2：to guarantee (assure)
assure
/əˈʃʊr/
vt.
To make something certain to happen or to be true.
to guarantee
➕
/tə ˌɡær.ənˈtiː/
vt.
To make something certain to happen or to be true, often by taking necessary steps or providing a guarantee.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The engineer double-checked every connection to assure the safety of the new bridge before it opened to the public.
The engineer double-checked every connection to assure the safety of the new bridge before it opened to the public.
🔗 Collocations
assure quality – to guarantee that a product or service meets certain standards
assure success – to make success certain
assure compliance – to ensure that rules or regulations are followed
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
risk (v.) – to expose to danger or loss
jeopardize (v.) – to put something in danger or at risk
endanger (v.) – to cause someone or something to be in danger
🌱 Derivatives
assurance (n.) – a promise or guarantee; certainty
assured (adj.) – certain to happen; guaranteed
self-assured (adj.) – confident in one's own abilities
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