Every surement and every bond.
Chaucer.
Sure"ness, n. The state of being sure; certainty.
For more sureness he repeats it.
Woodward.
The law holds with equal sureness for all right action.
Emerson.
Sures"by (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain. See Rudesby.] One to be sure of,
or to be relied on. [Obs.]
There is one which is suresby, as they say, to serve, if anything
will serve.
Bradford.
Sure"ti*ship (?), n. Suretyship. Prov. xi. 15.
Sure"ty (?), n.; pl. Sureties (#). [OE. seurte, OF. seürté, F. sûreté.
See Sure, Security.] 1. The state of being sure; certainty; security.
Know of a surety, that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that
is not theirs.
Gen. xv. 13.
For the more surety they looked round about.
Sir P. Sidney.
2. 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.
Milton.
3. Security against loss or damage; security for payment, or for the
performance of some act.
There remains unpaid A hundred thousand more; in surety of the
which One part of Aquitaine is bound to us.
Shak.
4. (Law) One who is bound with and for another who is primarily liable,
and who is called the principal; one who engages to answer for
another's appearance in court, or for his payment of a debt, or for
performance of some act; a bondsman; a bail.
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it.
Prov. xi. 15.