See Also: ascertain(dictionary)
ascertain(dictionary)

ascertain (iou)



ascertain verb trans. LME.
[Old French acertain- tonic stem of acertener (later ass-, asc-), formed as A-5 + CERTAIN.]
Assure, convince; inform, tell; refl. acquire information. LME-L18.
Charles Churchill Who may perhaps..Be ascertained that Two and Two make four. G. Morris I wish to be ascertained of the..intentions of the Court.
Make certain; prove, demonstrate; ensure, guarantee. L15-L19.
G. Horne But who shall exactly ascertain to us what superstition is? Boswell [This] would ascertain it not to be the production of Johnson. W. Godwin The intelligence that was brought me by no means ascertained the greatness of the danger. Sir W. Scott The squire's influence..ascertained him the support of the whole class of bucks.
Fix, determine, limit. L15-L18.
Shaftesbury To suppress by violence the natural Passion of Enthusiasm or to endeavour to ascertain it. J. Stephen Such charters ascertained what were the customs by which the citizens were to be governed.
b. Destine, doom, (a person) to. Only in M17.
Find out or learn for a certainty; make sure of, get to know. L16.
W. C. Williams He went to great trouble to ascertain the depth of the water. T. Capote The door was partly open; she opened it..enough to ascertain that the office was filled only with shadow. C. Jackson Whether he had ascertained if she was old or young.
ascertainable adjective able to be ascertained L18.
ascertainably adverb in an ascertainable manner; recognizably: M19.
ascertainment noun (a) fixing, settlement; assurance; (b) finding out; determination, discovery: M17.