1 [sentence adverb] used to emphasize the speaker’s firm belief that what they are saying is true and often their surprise that there is any doubt of this:if there is no will, then surely the house goes automatically to you without doubt; certainly:if he did not heed the warning, he would surely die [as exclamation] North American informal of course; yes:‘You’ll wait for me?’ ‘Surely.’
2with assurance or confidence:no one knows how to move the economy quickly and surely in that direction
