surety

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
surety /ˈʃʊərɪti, ˈʃʊəti/

▶noun (pl. sureties)

• 1 a person who takes responsibility for another's undertaking, e.g. the payment of a debt.

• 2 money given as a guarantee that someone will do something.

• 3 the state of being sure.

– phrases
of (or for) a surety archaic for certain.
stand surety become a surety.

– derivatives
suretyship noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. surte, from L. securitas (see security).