surety

surety — 名詞

1. a person who formally agrees to take responsibility for someone else's debt or o

1.名詞B2
釋義

保證人；擔保

為他人債務或義務作擔保的人或金錢

a person who formally agrees to take responsibility for someone else's debt or other legal obligation if that person fails to meet it; or money or property given to show that a promise, such as paying a debt or appearing in court, will be kept

例句

Ziad agreed to act as surety for his brother's business loan at the bank.

Ziad 同意為他弟弟的商業貸款擔任保證人。

act as surety for [person]

The landlord asked for a surety of two months' rent before handing over the keys.

房東要求繳交兩個月租金的保證金，才願意交出公寓鑰匙。

同義詞
  • guarantor

    Nearly interchangeable; 'guarantor' is slightly more common in modern banking contexts, while 'surety' is more common in legal documents and court settings.

  • collateral

    Refers specifically to property or assets offered as security, never to a person; 'surety' can refer to either a person or money/property.

  • bail

    Limited to the specific context of securing a defendant's release from custody before trial; 'surety' has a broader range of financial and legal uses.

  • deposit

    A deposit is money paid upfront that may be returned; a surety is a promise to pay only if a default occurs.

文法句型

act as surety

stand surety for someone

be surety for someone/something

用法筆記

Common in legal and financial contexts. The person offering the guarantee is called a surety; the person being guaranteed is the principal debtor. Frequently used in the phrase 'stand surety for' or 'act as surety for'.

常見錯誤

❌I will be a surety for my friend's loan by writing a recommendation letter.
✅I will stand surety for my friend's loan by signing the guarantee agreement.
💡A surety involves a formal legal commitment, not a casual recommendation.
❌The bank asked for a surety to prove my identity.
✅The bank asked for a surety to guarantee repayment of the loan.
💡Surety relates to guaranteeing a financial or legal obligation, not proving who you are.

2. the feeling of being completely sure that something is true or correct; total co

2.名詞C1
釋義

確定；肯定

完全確信的狀態

the feeling of being completely sure that something is true or correct; total confidence that a fact or outcome is reliable

例句

The old fisherman spoke with surety about the storm that was coming.

老漁夫語氣肯定地說暴風雨即將來襲。

speak with surety

Lakan could not answer the judge's question with any surety, so he remained silent.

Lakan 無法確定地回答法官的問題，於是他保持沉默。

同義詞
  • certainty

    Much more common in everyday English; 'certainty' is neutral in register while 'surety' feels dated or very formal.

  • confidence

    Emphasizes personal faith in an outcome rather than objective fact; 'I have full confidence' is natural, while 'I have full surety' sounds archaic.

  • assurance

    Can be a promise given by one person to another; 'surety' in this sense is more about internal conviction than an external promise.

反義詞
  • doubt

    The opposite state of mind — lack of surety equals doubt.

  • uncertainty

    The absence of sureness; uncertainty is the more common modern term for this concept.

文法句型

with surety

of surety

no surety that...

用法筆記

Now largely restricted to formal writing, literature, and set phrases. In everyday modern English, 'certainty' or 'confidence' is far more common. Often appears in negative constructions (e.g. 'no surety that…') or in the phrase 'with surety'.

常見錯誤

❌I have a surety that she will come.
✅I am certain that she will come.
💡'Surety' is rarely used in everyday speech; use 'certainty' or 'confidence' instead.
❌The surety of the weather forecast was wrong.
✅The certainty of the weather forecast was wrong.
💡'Surety' in the sense of certainty is very formal and uncommon in modern casual usage.