This is the 15048th most frequent German word.
sicherten
The German word "sicherten" means "secured" or "ensured" (past tense of "sichern").
In this sentence, 'sicherten' is used to indicate that the soldiers made the area safe and free of danger, reflecting its usage meaning 'to secure' or 'to make safe'.
Die Soldaten sicherten das Gebiet ab.
The soldiers secured the area.
Here, 'sicherten' implies obtaining or achieving something for oneself, in this case, the contract, reflecting its usage to mean 'to obtain or to ensure'.
Durch geschicktes Handeln sicherten sie sich den Vertrag.
Through clever actions, they secured the contract for themselves.
In this example, 'sicherten' is used in the context of fastening or stabilizing an object, meaning 'to secure' something physically.