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certify

 - 5 dictionary results

cer⋅ti⋅fy

  [sur-tuh-fahy] verb, -fied, -fy⋅ing.
Use certify in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to attest as certain; give reliable information of; confirm: He certified the truth of his claim.
2. to testify to or vouch for in writing: The medical examiner will certify his findings to the court.
3. to guarantee; endorse reliably: to certify a document with an official seal.
4. to guarantee (a check) by writing on its face that the account against which it is drawn has sufficient funds to pay it.
5. to award a certificate to (a person) attesting to the completion of a course of study or the passing of a qualifying examination.
6. to declare legally insane and committable to a mental institution.
7. Archaic. to assure or inform with certainty.
–verb (used without object)
8. to give assurance; testify; vouch for the validity of something (usually fol. by to).
Origin:
1300–50; ME certifien < MF certifier < LL certificāre, equiv. to L certi- (comb. form of certus decided; see certain ) + -ficāre -fy

Related forms:
cer⋅ti⋅fi⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. corroborate, verify, validate, guarantee.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To certify
cer·ti·fy   (sûr'tə-fī')   
v.   cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing, cer·ti·fies

v.   tr.

    1. To confirm formally as true, accurate, or genuine.

    2. To guarantee as meeting a standard: butter that was certified Grade A. See Synonyms at approve.

  2. To acknowledge in writing on the face of (a check) that the signature of the maker is genuine and that there are sufficient funds on deposit for its payment.

  3. To issue a license or certificate to.

  4. To declare to be in need of psychiatric treatment or confinement.

  5. Archaic To inform positively; assure.

v.   intr.
To testify: certify to the facts.

[Middle English certifien, from Old French certifier, from Late Latin certificāre : Latin certus, certain; see certain + Latin -ficāre, -fy.]
cer'ti·fi'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

certify 
1330, from O.Fr. certifier "make certain," from L.L. certificare, from L. certus (see certain) + root of facere "to make, do" (see factitious). Certificate is from 1472.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: cer·ti·fy
Pronunciation: 's&r-t&-"fI
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -fied; -fy·ing
Etymology: Medieval Latin certificare, from Late Latin, to assure, convince, from Latin certus certain + -ficare to make
1 : to state authoritatively: as a : to give assurance of the validity of <certify corporate records> b : to present in formal communication (as an order) esp. for review by an appellate court certify the question to the Supreme Judicial Court —Railroad T. Gerwatowski> —see also CERTIFICATION c : to state as being true or as reported or as meeting a standard certify the suit as a class action and dismissed it —Marcia Coyle>
2 : to guarantee (a personal check) as to signature and amount by so indicating (as by stamping certified) on the face —see also certified check at CHECK
3 a : CERTIFICATE, LICENSE b : to designate (a labor union) as an exclusive bargaining agent or representative
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: cer·ti·fy
Pronunciation: 's&rt-&-"fI
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -fied; -fy·ing
transitivesenses
1 : to attest authoritatively; especially : to attest officially to the insanity of
2 : to designate as having met the requirementsto practice medicine or a particular medical specialty certify intransitive senses
: to attest by a certificate certifies in that specialty —Bulletin of Meharry Medical College> —cer·ti·fi·able /"s&r-t&-'fI-&-b&l/ adjective —cer·ti·fi·ably /-blE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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