See Also:

certain (iou)



certain adjective, noun, pronoun, & adverb. ME.
[Old & mod. French from Proto-Romance extension of Latin certus settled, sure.]
A. adjective.
I.
Determined, fixed; not variable. Occas. postpositive. ME.
H. J. Stephen Payment of money on a day certain. J. Arlott The fixed and certain oak.
b. Definite, precise, exact. arch. LME.
Marvell The answer is now much shorter and certainer.
Sure; inevitable; unfailing; wholly reliable. ME.
Spenser Fearfull more of shame Then of the certeine perill he stood in. M. Somerville A certain indication of a coming tempest. H. Cecil An absolutely certain thing for the four o'clock had come in second.
Established as a truth or fact; not to be doubted. LME.
make certain make sure.
B. Russell Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it? J. Steinbeck Putting his certain ignorance against this man's possible knowledge.
Of a person: having no doubt, assured, convinced. LME.
morally certain so sure that one is justified in acting upon the conviction.
C. Isherwood He can't be certain if Kenny answered his question or not. W. Trevor One of the daily women was only a little sceptical, while the other was certain and adamant. I. Murdoch He was quite certain that he was acting rightly.
b. Destined, undoubtedly going to do. M17.
Oxford English Dictionary We are certain to meet him in the course of our rambles.
II.
Known and particularized but not explicitly identified: (with sing. noun) a particular, (with pl. noun) some particular, some definite. ME.
up to a certain point: see POINT noun1.
L. M. Montgomery If it isn't carried in just a certain way the handle pulls out. M. Frayn I shall want him to bring certain designated books and documents.
b. Of some extent at least; some though not much. M16.
J. Tyndall The ice is disintegrated to a certain depth.
c. euphem. Which it is not polite or necessary to define further. M18.
a certain age an age when one is no longer young (usu. of a woman). a certain disease venereal disease. in a certain condition: see CONDITION noun 8. of a certain description (of a woman) of the demi-monde.
d. Of a person: unknown except by name; existing, but probably unknown to the reader or hearer. L18.
Southey A certain Benjamin Franklin French writes to me from New Orleans.
b. ellipt. as noun or pl. pronoun.
What is certain, certainty. obsolete exc. in for certain below. ME.
for certain, (dial.) for a certain, (arch.) of a certain, of certain as a certainty, assuredly.
Shakespeare Henry V I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it.
A particular quantity, amount, number, etc., of; ellipt. a particular sum of money. ME-E17.
Some but not all (of). LME.
C. adverb. Certainly; assuredly. Now dial. or arch. ME.
certain sure very certain.