certain
Use Certain in a sentence
tn adjective
2.
destined; sure to happen (usually followed by an infinitive): He is certain to be there.
3.
inevitable; bound to come: They realized then that war was certain.
4.
established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable: It is certain that he tried.
5.
fixed; agreed upon; settled: on a certain day; for a certain amount.
6.
definite or particular, but not named or specified: A certain person phoned. He had a certain charm.
7.
that may be depended on; trustworthy; unfailing; reliable: His aim was certain.
8.
some though not much: a certain reluctance.
9.
Obsolete, steadfast.
pronoun
10.
certain ones: Certain of the members declined the invitation.
00:10
Certain
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
11.
for certain, without a doubt; surely: I know for certain that I have seen that face before.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Vulgar Latin *certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) sure, settled (cer- base of cernere to decide, + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus -an
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Vulgar Latin *certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) sure, settled (cer- base of cernere to decide, + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus -an
Synonyms
1. convinced, satisfied. See sure. 4. indubitable, incontestable, irrefutable, incontrovertible, obvious, plain, clear. 5. determined.
1. convinced, satisfied. See sure. 4. indubitable, incontestable, irrefutable, incontrovertible, obvious, plain, clear. 5. determined.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To certain
Collins
World English Dictionary
certain (ˈsɜːtən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | (postpositive) positive and confident about the truth of something; convinced: I am certain that he wrote a book |
| 2. | (usually postpositive) definitely known: it is certain that they were on the bus |
| 3. | (usually postpositive) sure; bound; destined: he was certain to fail |
| 4. | decided or settled upon; fixed: the date is already certain for the invasion |
| 5. | unfailing; reliable: his judgment is certain |
| 6. | moderate or minimum: to a certain extent |
| 7. | make certain of to ensure (that one will get something); confirm |
| —adv | |
| 8. | for certain definitely; without a doubt: he will win for certain |
| —determiner | |
| 9. | a. known but not specified or named: certain people may doubt this |
| b. (as pronoun; functioning as plural): certain of the members have not paid their subscriptions | |
| 10. | named but not known: he had written to a certain Mrs Smith |
| [C13: from Old French, from Latin certus sure, fixed, from cernere to discern, decide] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
certain
c.1300, "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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
But it has also offered volunteers a certain amount of control over their destiny, because they could always resign if they chose.
Because you need the precursors, a certain amount of intelligence to do language.
In a conventional semiconductor material, it takes a certain amount of energy to free an electron and generate electricity.
When reality is changing faster than theory suggests it should, a certain amount of nervousness is a reasonable response.
Idioms & Phrases
Related Searches
Nearby Words
Synonyms
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
