Word family noun security ≠ insecurity adjective secure ≠ insecure verb secure adverb securely ≠ insecurely
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsecuresecure1 ●●● W3 AWL verb [transitive] 1 get/achieve to get or achieve something that will be permanent, especially after a lot of effort Boyd’s goal secured his team’s place in the Cup Final.secure a deal/contract The company secured a $20 million contract. Negotiators are still working to secure the hostages’ release. Redgrave won his third Olympic gold medal, and secured his place in history.2 safe from harm to make something safe from being attacked, harmed, or lost Troops were sent to secure the border.secure something against somebody/something They built a ten-foot high fence to secure the house against intruders. an agreement to secure the future of the rainforest3 tie firmly to fasten or tie something firmly in a particular positionsecure something to something John secured the boat firmly to the jetty.4 borrowing moneyBFL if you secure a debt or a loan, you legally promise that, if you cannot pay back the money you have borrowed, you will give the lender goods or property of the same value instead He used his house to secure the loan.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
secure• Fox had used company money to secure a personal loan.• Oregon secured a place in the NCAA basketball tournament.• Schiller secured funds for the special education project.• Fairfax is securing its wheels with rocks.• Troops were brought in to secure the area.• They would be securing the boats, and perhaps some of the stock, and looking to the hay and peat-stacks.• Ms. Ferrer and Santos are working together to secure the hostages' release.• France was able to secure the release of two of its hostages.• I congratulate him on securing this debate today.• On Wednesday, I contacted DeltaTech so l could determine the next step I should take to secure this important account.secured ... place• Lisa Spence was unfortunate not to get first prize in the Juvenile Drum Majors section, but happily secured second place.• The stoppage means some students will have to wait longer to learn whether they've secured a college place.• A lucky win against Aurillac in the play-offs secured them a place among the last 32.• The Polytechnic usually receives hundreds of phone calls from students trying to find out if they've secured a place at college.• Having secured miners' place at the top of the manual wages league, there was nowhere for that economism to go.• Victory would have secured Jarryd his place at the top of the points table, a feat worth £110,000.• Lebed has, indeed, secured a place for himself in the fanfare.• She then draped it with vivid red silk, secured in place with a glue gun.secure ... future• Renewed emphasis on and commitment to growth and achievement will secure the future.• You can help to secure the future by joining the Society now.• The earl is currently struggling to secure the future of his stately home, Bemersyde, near St Boswells.• Its purpose is to keep secure the future of the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society.• The total project cost was over £1.5 million - money well spent to secure the future of this important Paisley landmark.• Some fear it's their last chance to secure the future they and their forefathers worked for. secure something to something• Dana secured the boat to the dock with a strong rope.securese‧cure2 /sɪˈkʊə $ -ˈkjʊr/ ●●○ S3 W3 AWL adjective 1 permanent/certainDEPEND ON/RELY ON a situation that is secure is one that you can depend on because it is not likely to change OPP insecure There are no secure jobs these days. We want a secure future for our children. United’s position at the top of the league seems relatively secure.2 place/buildingSAFE locked or guarded so that people cannot get in or out or steal anything The house isn’t very secure – we need some new locks. Keep your passport in a secure place.secure accommodation British English (=a type of prison) In the last year, only three children under the age of 14 have had to be placed in secure accommodation.3 safe from harm safe from and protected against damage or attack Companies can offer secure credit card transactions over the Internet.secure from These elephants are relatively secure from poachers.4 confidentCONFIDENT feeling confident about yourself and your abilities OPP insecure We want our children to be secure and feel good about themselves.5 not worriedCONFIDENT feeling confident and certain about a situation and not worried that it might change OPP insecure Workers no longer feel secure about the future. It was enough money to make us feel financially secure. We huddled together, secure in the knowledge that the rescue helicopter was on its way.6 firmly fastenedATTACH firmly fastened or tied, and not likely to fall down Are you sure that shelf is secure?Examples from the Corpus
secure• The children all slept together in the same bed, snug and secure.• There is also an emerging globalisation of ethical and judicial standards, which should render social and individual rights more secure.• Gorbachev's place in history is secure.• If your password gets known by anyone else, your data may not be secure.• Children need to feel safe and secure about the world they grow up in.• After that Corbett just had to wait, pleased to rest and stay in the monastery where he felt secure and safe.• a secure area near the governor's office• I don't think Marie is as secure as she would have liked us to believe.• Make sure the building is completely secure before you leave.• The majority had therefore experienced secure employment for relatively long periods of time.• He kept his savings under his bed, secure from the prying eyes of his roommate.• A new start, far away from Hugh, in this novel but secure haven.• Wilson had no secure job.• She felt much more secure now that she had put a bolt on the door.• These tenants can frequently be living in the least desirable and least secure of all housing in rural locations.• Keep your passport in a secure place.• Being in charge and feeling legally secure seems necessary for whoever carries out the parenting role.• A secure soloist, it is implied, might not be given much guidance.• She was no more secure than she'd ever been - one mistake, and she'd be out on her ear!• People should feel secure when they walk the streets of this city.secure future• Adoption offers the most secure future.• And it should mean the 370 employees working on propellers can look forward to a more secure future.• Few young people face a secure future.• Many entrepreneurial companies simply can not even match six percent pretax margin or look forward to a secure future.• There are exceptions, of course, but a good education is still the ticket to a secure future.• These people were all robbed of a secure future by Robert Maxwell.• The new order should mean a more secure future for the remaining staff.• A secure future in their home from an established landlord.secure place• They should be kept in a rigid container made for the purpose and stored in a secure place.• These islands are secure places and are used as sites for villages, small towns and even imposing fortresses.• Cabbage has earned a secure place in the winter repast for its unpretentious, wholesome goodness and its versatility.• But the number of graduates securing places on training courses to teach these subjects is still being squeezed.secure from• They spent the night in a little cave, secure from the storm.feel secure• The defiant child uses bossiness and defiance in an attempt to feel secure.• The economy spits out new jobs, yet no one feels secure.• In order for patients to relax, they must feel secure and able to trust those caring for them.• If parents dedicate evenings to child care, they can build rituals that make a child feel secure and connected.• After that Corbett just had to wait, pleased to rest and stay in the monastery where he felt secure and safe.• A child feels secure if the events of her day are as regular and certain as the sunrise.• Does your mate feel secure in himself about his attractiveness and potency?• Only a society in which people feel secure in their peer groups can bring about such mass action from below.From Longman Business Dictionarysecurese‧cure1 /sɪˈkjʊə-ˈkjʊr/ verb [transitive]1to get something you need after a lot of effortThe airline has secured financing of $150 million from private sponsors.2FINANCE to promise a lender that they can take certain assets, such as property or shares, if their loan is not paid back within the agreed time limitBorrowers generally are required to secure a loan with personal property as collateral.secure something against/on somethingThe debt is secured on some of the company’s assets.→ See Verb tablesecuresecure2 adjective1FINANCEinvestments or companies which are secure are not likely to lose moneyafinancially secure companyHigher yields are considered to be less secure.2feeling confident about a particular situation, especially one which concerns the futureThe frequent announcements of staff cuts are making Americans feel less secure in their jobs.3safe and protected from damage, change, being stolen etcCustomers want guarantees that cash machines will be secure from unauthorized use.The single currency is giving industry more secure operating conditions.Origin secure1 (1500-1600) Latin securus, from se “without” + cura “care” 