From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishto be sureto be surespoken formalTRUE used to admit that something is true, before saying something that is the opposite It was difficult, to be sure, but somehow we managed to finish the job. → sure
Examples from the Corpus
to be sure• Get a vet to check him over to be sure.• No match for open, urban brown-water, to be sure.• The outside air temperature was above minimum, but I switched on the engine anti-ice anyway, just to be sure.• There was, to be sure, a minority position.• He had wanted to be sure before tackling Mary Penrose; now he was.• It was difficult, to be sure, but somehow we managed to finish the job.• Dole and Gramm, to be sure, enjoy fund-raising advantages of their own, as powerful long-serving senators.• They put me though every test in the book to be sure I was healthy. 