Definitions for certain
ˈsɜr tncer·tain

Princeton's WordNet(2.83 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certain(a)adjective

   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. certain(p), sureadjective

   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"

3. certain(p)adjective

   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"

4. certain, sureadjective

   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"

5. sealed, certainadjective

   established irrevocably

   "his fate is sealed"

6. certain, sureadjective

   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. certain, sureadjective

   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"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certainadjective

   Having been determined but unspecified. The quality of some particular subject or object which is known by the speaker to have been specifically singled out among similar entities of its class.

   I was certain of my decision.

   Etymology: From certain, certein, from certain, from unattested form , extended form of certus, of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere. Displaced native wis, iwis (from gewiss ġewis, ġewiss and alternative spelling sertane

2. certainadjective

   Sure, positive, not doubting.

   I was certain of my decision.

   Etymology: From certain, certein, from certain, from unattested form , extended form of certus, of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere. Displaced native wis, iwis (from gewiss ġewis, ġewiss and alternative spelling sertane

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Certainadjective

   assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning

2. Certainadjective

   determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive

3. Certainadjective

   not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact

4. Certainadjective

   actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable

5. Certainadjective

   unfailing; infallible

6. Certainadjective

   fixed or stated; regular; determinate

7. Certainadjective

   not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; -- sometimes used independenty as a noun, and meaning certain persons

8. Certainnoun

   certainty

9. Certainnoun

   a certain number or quantity

10. Certainadverb

    certainly

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Certain

   sėr′tān, or sėr′tin, adj. sure: not to be doubted: resolved: fixed: regular: inevitable: some: one.—advs. Cer′tainly, (Scot.) Cer′ty, Cer′tie.—ns. Cer′titude, Cer′tainty.—'A certain person,' implying some degree of contempt; A lady of a certain age, of an age best not stated accurately—at least no longer young.—For certain, assuredly.—Moral certainty, a conviction so justifiable that one is morally entitled to act on it. [O. Fr.,—L. certus—cern-ĕre, to decide.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. certain

   To feel and know with our conscience, consciousness, heart, mind, subconscious, spirit and soul.

   They both are certain they are getting married to each other.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 22, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #419

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Written Corpus Frequency: #518

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'certain' in Adjectives Frequency: #45

Anagrams for certain »

1. tercian

2. tacrine

How to pronounce certain?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say certain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of certain in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of certain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of certain in a Sentence

1. Melissa Joan Hart:

   You can’t cower away from certain things, i feel like a lot of people don’t like the controversy. They don’t like to discuss [religion]. They don’t like to debate; I love that stuff. If it wasn't for the fact that my family was under a close scrutiny I would probably want to run for [political office] someday or something. I am always the one at dinner parties where people are like ‘don't talk about religion or politics’ and I’m like ‘can we please talk about religion or politics?’ I love debating and I love hearing other perspectives on everything.

2. Bertrand Russell:

   The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

3. Susan Collins:

   Clearly, the administration needs to take stock of its operations and the President needs to do a far better job of understanding the differences among the three branches of government -- what's appropriate, what isn't appropriate, he needs to ask for advice from his advisers and he needs to listen to that advice. We're four months into this new administration, little over that, and he needs to right the ship. We cannot have this constant chaos and serious questions being raised virtually every single day. It is distracting from the ability to work on certain issues like health care reform, and the administration needs to get its house in order.

4. Richard Gorelick:

   What exactly that means at a certain level - when some of these behaviors have actually gone on on some of these exchanges for many years, allegedly - it's really interesting and it's confusing to market participants, it would have been far better if the rules of the road were clear from the get-go, if regulators of exchanges were very clear as to what the rules meant, and issued guidance on how they could be interpreted, rather than watching people go to jail or not go to jail in order to figure out what the rules are.

5. Greg McKenna:

   But it is still far from certain that they will bite in the way intended... Germany has said it will protect its companies from U.S. sanctions, Iran has said French oil giant Total has yet to pull out of its fields and all the while it seems the Chinese are ready to fill the void created by the U.S..

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