Definite; fixed: set aside a certain sum each week.
Sure to come or happen; inevitable: certain success.
Established beyond doubt or question; indisputable: What is certain is that every effect must have a cause.
Capable of being relied on; dependable: a quick and certain remedy.
Having or showing confidence; assured.
Not specified or identified but assumed to be known: felt that certain breeds did not make good pets.
Named but not known or previously mentioned: a certain Ms. Johnson.
Perceptible; noticeable: a certain charm; a certain air of mystery.
Not great; calculable: to a certain degree; a certain delay in the schedule.
pron.
An indefinite but limited number; some: Certain of the products are faulty.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *certānus, from Latin certus, past participle of cernere, to determine; see krei- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These adjectives mean impossible to avoid or evade: soldiers who knew they faced certain death; facts that led to an inescapable conclusion; an inevitable result; sudden but sure retribution; an unavoidable accident. See Also Synonyms at sure.
Usage Note: Although certain appears to be an absolute term, it is frequently qualified by adverbs, as in fairly certain or quite certain. In an earlier survey a majority of the Usage Panel accepted the construction Nothing could be more certain.
1297, "determined, fixed," from O.Fr. certain, from V.L. *certanus, from L. certus "sure, fixed," originally a variant pp. of cernere "to distinguish, decide," originally "to sift, separate" (see crisis). Certainer, certainest were common to c.1750, but have fallen from proper use for some reason.
definite but not specified or identified; "set aside a certain sum each week"; "to a certain degree"; "certain breeds do not make good pets"; "certain members have not paid their dues"; "a certain popular teacher"; "a certain Mrs. Jones"
2.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured; "felt certain of success"; "was sure (or certain) she had seen it"; "was very sure in his beliefs"; "sure of her friends" [ant: incertain]
3.
established beyond doubt or question; definitely known; "what is certain is that every effect must have a cause"; "it is certain that they were on the bus"; "his fate is certain"; "the date for the invasion is certain" [ant: uncertain]
4.
certain to occur; destined or inevitable; "he was certain to fail"; "his fate is certain"; "In this life nothing is certain but death and taxes"- Benjamin Franklin; "he faced certain death"; "sudden but sure regret"; "he is sure to win" [ant: uncertain]
5.
established irrevocably; "his fate is sealed" [syn: sealed] [ant: uncertain]
6.
reliable in operation or effect; "a quick and certain remedy"; "a sure way to distinguish the two"; "wood dust is a sure sign of termites"
7.
exercising or taking care great enough to bring assurance; "be certain to disconnect the iron when you are through"; "be sure to lock the doors"
As`cer*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ascertained; p. pr. & vb. n. Ascertaining.] [OF. acertener; a (L. ad) + certain. See Certain.]1. To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise. [Obs.] When the blessed Virgin was so ascertained. --Jer. Taylor. Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and that the Almighty had in a dream ascertained him of its effects. --Robertson. 2. To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine. [Archaic] The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth. --Hooker. The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and ascertain the condemnation. --Jer. Taylor. The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. --Smollett. The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation. --Gibbon. 3. To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal. He was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on England was practicable. --Macaulay.
Cer"tain\, a. [F. certain, fr. (assumed) LL. certanus, fr. L. certus determined, fixed, certain, orig. p. p. of cernere to perceive, decide, determine; akin to Gr. ? to decide, separate, and to E. concern, critic, crime, riddle a sieve, rinse, v.]1. Assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning. To make her certain of the sad event. --Dryden. I myself am certain of you. --Wyclif. 2. Determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive. However, I with thee have fixed my lot, Certain to undergo like doom. --Milton. 3. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact. The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. --Dan. ii. 45. 4. Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable. Virtue that directs our ways Through certain dangers to uncertain praise. --Dryden. Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. --Shak. 5. Unfailing; infallible. I have often wished that I knew as certain a remedy for any other distemper. --Mead. 6. Fixed or stated; regular; determinate. The people go out and gather a certain rate every day. --Ex. xvi. 4. 7. Not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; -- sometimes used independenty as a noun, and meaning certain persons. It came to pass when he was in a certain city. --Luke. v. 12. About everything he wrote there was a certain natural grace und decorum. --Macaulay. For certain, assuredly. Of a certain, certainly. Syn: Bound; sure; true; undeniable; unquestionable; undoubted; plain; indubitable; indisputable; incontrovertible; unhesitating; undoubting; fixed; stated.
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