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certain

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.06 sec.
cer·tain  (sûrtn)
adj.
1. Definite; fixed: set aside a certain sum each week.
2. Sure to come or happen; inevitable: certain success.
3. Established beyond doubt or question; indisputable: What is certain is that every effect must have a cause.
4. Capable of being relied on; dependable: a quick and certain remedy.
5. Having or showing confidence; assured.
6.
a. Not specified or identified but assumed to be known: felt that certain breeds did not make good pets.
b. Named but not known or previously mentioned: a certain Ms. Johnson.
7. Perceptible; noticeable: a certain charm; a certain air of mystery.
8. Not great; calculable: to a certain degree; a certain delay in the schedule.
pron.
An indefinite but limited number; some: Certain of the products are faulty.
Idiom:
for certain
Without doubt; definitely.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *certnus, from Latin certus, past participle of cernere, to determine; see krei- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: certain, inescapable, inevitable, sure, unavoidable
These adjectives mean impossible to avoid or evade: soldiers who knew they faced certain death; facts that led to an inescapable conclusion; an inevitable result; sudden but sure retribution; an unavoidable accident. See Also Synonyms at sure.
Usage Note: Although certain appears to be an absolute term, it is frequently qualified by adverbs, as in fairly certain or quite certain. In an earlier survey a majority of the Usage Panel accepted the construction Nothing could be more certain.

certain
Adjective
1. positive and confident about something: he was certain they would agree
2. definitely known: it is by no means certain the tomb still exists
3. sure or bound: the cuts are certain to go ahead
4. some but not much: a certain amount
5. particular: certain aspects
6. named but not known: a running commentary by a certain Mr Fox
7. for certain without doubt [Latin certus sure]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.certain - 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"
definite - precise; explicit and clearly defined; "I want a definite answer"; "a definite statement of the terms of the will"; "a definite amount"; "definite restrictions on the sale of alcohol"; "the wedding date is now definite"; "a definite drop in attendance"
2.certain - 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"
incertain, uncertain, unsure - lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance; "uncertain of his convictions"; "unsure of himself and his future"; "moving with uncertain (or unsure) steps"; "an uncertain smile"; "touched the ornaments with uncertain fingers"
3.certain - 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"
uncertain - not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown; "an uncertain future"; "a manuscript of uncertain origin"; "plans are still uncertain"; "changes of great if uncertain consequences"; "without further evidence his story must remain uncertain"
4.certain - 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"
predictable - capable of being foretold
uncertain - not certain to occur; not inevitable; "everything is uncertain about the army"; "the issue is uncertain"
5.certain - established irrevocably; "his fate is sealed"
6.certain - 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"
dependable, reliable - worthy of reliance or trust; "a reliable source of information"; "a dependable worker"
7.certain - 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"
careful - exercising caution or showing care or attention; "they were careful when crossing the busy street"; "be careful to keep her shoes clean"; "did very careful research"; "careful art restorers"; "careful of the rights of others"; "careful about one's behavior"

certain
adjective 1. sure, convinced, positive, confident, satisfied, assured, free from doubt << OPPOSITE unsure
adjective 2. bound, sure, fated, destined << OPPOSITE unlikely
adjective 5. fixed, decided, established, settled, definite << OPPOSITE indefinite
Translations
certain [ˈsəːtən] adjseguro (= correct); cierto (= particular); cierto;
for certain → a ciencia cierta

certain [ˈsəːtən] adjcertain(e);
to make certain of → s'assurer de;
for certain → certainement, sûrement

certain [ˈsəːtən] adjsicher;
a certain Mr Smith → ein gewisser Herr Smith;
certain days/places → bestimmte Tage/Orte;
a certain coldness → eine gewisse Kälte;
to make certain of → sich vergewissern +gen;
for certain → ganz sicher, ganz genau

certain [ˈsəːtən] adjcerto/a;
to make certain of → assicurarsi di;
for certain → per certo, di sicuro

certain
adj certain [ˈsəːtn]
1 true or without doubt It's certain that the world is round. seker مُؤَكَّد сигурен jistý sikker sicher αληθινός, αδιαμφισβήτητος cierto vaieldamatu مسلم؛ بی تردید varma certain וַדָאִי, בָּטוּח निश्चित siguran, nedvojben biztos pasti einhver, nokkur certo, indubbio 確かな 틀림 없는 tikras drošs; nešaubīgs pasti zeker sikker, viss pewny certo sigur несомненный istý nedvomen izvestan sann ซึ่งแท้จริง kuşkusuz, şüphesiz 無疑的 певний, відомий سچ ، بلا شک و شبہ đích xác
2 sure I'm certain he'll come; He is certain to forget; Being late is a certain way of losing one's job. seker مُتَأَكِّد убеден jistý, zaručený sikker sicher βέβαιος seguro kindel مطمئن varma certain בָּטוּח पक्का siguran biztos yakin viss, öruggur sicuro 確かな 확실한 tikras, įsitikinęs drošs; noteikts mesti zeker sikker, viss (), overbevist om pewny seguro sigur уверенный istý prepričan; zanesljiv siguran säker ที่มั่นใจ emin, hiç kuşkusuz, kesin 確信的 упевнений یقینی chắc chắn
3 one or some, not definitely named certain doctors; a certain Mrs Smith; (also pronoun) certain of his friends. seker معيّن، ما известен jakýsi, nějaký; někdo vis; bestemt bestimmt κάποιος cierto teatav, mõningad یکی از؛ برخی از eräs, tietty certain מִיֶשהוּ असंदिग्ध određen, neki bizonyos seorang tiltekinn, viss, ákveðinn certo; qualche, qualcuno ある 어떤 kažkoks, kažkuris kāds; zināms seorang zeker, bepaald viss(e), bestemt(e) pewien certo anumit некоторый; некий nejaký; niekto neki; nekateri izvesni viss ไม่มีชื่อเฉพาะ bir, bazı, kimi 某個或某些 певний کوئی ، کوئی ایک nào đó
4 slight; some a certain hostility in his manner; a certain amount. seker قَليل някакъв jistý, určitý vis gewiß σχετικός, κάποιος cierto teatav کم؛ اندک eräänlainen, tietty certain מְסוּיָם कुछ neki egy kevés sedikit viss, nokkur certo ある程度の 다소의, 약간의 tam tikras, kažkoks zināms tertentu zeker viss pewien certo anumit некоторый istý določen određeni viss บางอย่าง biraz, bir miktar 一些 якийсь قدرے ، تھوڑا سا phần nào
adv certainly
1 definitely I can't come today, but I'll certainly come tomorrow. sekerlik, beslis بالتَّأكيد определено určitě, jistě helt sikkert; helt bestemt bestimmt σίγουρα seguro kindlasti حتماً؛ یقیناً varmasti certainement בְּוַדַאי निश्चित रूप से zacijelo, dakako biztosan pasti vissulega, áreiðanlega certamente 確かに 틀림없이 tikrai noteikti pastinya zeker sikkert, bestemt na pewno de certeza sigur непременно určite gotovo svakako bestämt, otvivelaktigt อย่างแน่นอน mutlaka, kesinlikle 一定 звичайно یقیناً chắc chắn
2 of course You may certainly have a chocolate. natuurlik طَبْعا، بالتَّأكيد разбира се samozřejmě selvfølgelig natürlich βεβαίως desde luego, por supuesto muidugi مسلماً toki certainement ללא ספק अवश्य svakako föltétlenül tentu vissulega, að sjálfsögðu certamente きっと 물론 žinoma protams sudah tentu natuurlijk visst, selvfølgelig naturalnie certamente bineînţeles конечно samozrejme seveda svakako naturligtvis อย่างแน่นอน elbette, tabiî, kuşkusuz, şüphesiz 當然 неодмінно بے شک ، یقیناً tất nhiên
interj
of course May I borrow your typewriter?' `Certainly!'; Certainly not!' ja, seker طَبْعاً! естествено ovšem selvfølgelig aber natürlich φυσικά! (επιφ.) por supuesto muidugi البته tietenkin certainement בְּוַודַאי निश्चित रूप से svakako hogyne! tentu saja Auðvitað, að sjálfsögðu certo!; no di certo! もちろん 물론 žinoma protams! sudah pasti natuurlijk klart (det)!; gjerne!; selvfølgelig!; ja visst! bezwzględnie certamente bine­­­­înţeles конечно iste(že), pravdaže seveda Naravno naturligtvis, absolut อย่างแน่นอน tabiî, hay hay, memnuniyetle 當然 звичайно قطعاً tất nhiên
n certainty
1 something which cannot be doubted It's a certainty that he will win. sekerheid أَمْرٌ مُؤَكَّدٌ несъмнен факт jistá věc vished; sikkerhed die Sicherheit βεβαιότητα certeza, seguridad kindel asi یقین؛ اطمینان varma asia certitude וַדַאוּת निस्संदेह sigurnost, izvjesnost bizonyosság kepastian vissa certezza, cosa certa 確実なこと 확실한 것, 틀림없는 사실 tikras daiktas, neabejotinas dalykas drošība; noteiktība tanpa ragu-ragu zekerheid sikkerhet, visshet pewność, pewnik certeza несомненный факт istá vec gotovost izvesnost någonting säkert, en given sak ความแน่นอน besbelli, kesin 必然的事情 безперечний факт تیقن ، یقینی بات điều chắc chắn 必然
2 freedom from doubt Is there any certainty of success? sekerheid يَقين убеденост jistota vished; sikkerhed die Gewißheit βεβαιότητα certeza kindlus قطعیت takeet certitude בִּטָחוֹן निश्चितता sigurnost bizonyosság keyakinan vissa sicurezza 確実性 확신, 확실함 tikrumas pārliecība kepastian zekerheid sikkerhet, visshet pewność certeza certitudine уверенность istota zanesljivost izvesnost visshet สิ่งที่แน่นอน kesinlik 亳無疑問 упевненість بلا شبہ sự tin chắc
for certain
definitely She may come but she can't say for certain. vir seker بِالتَّأكيد със сигурност najisto, určitě bestemt; med sikkerhed ganz sicher (στα) σίγουρα con certeza, con toda seguridad kindlalt بدون شک؛ قطعاً varmasti avec certitude בְּווַדַאוּת निश्चित sigurnost biztosan dengan keyakinan með vissu di sicuro 確かに 확실히 tikrai droši; noteikti semestinya met zekerheid med sikkerhet, sikkert na pewno com certeza (în mod) sigur наверняка určite zagotovo sasvim sigurno säkert, med säkerhet อย่างชัดเจน kesin olarak 肯定地 впевнено یقیناً بالیقین hoàn toàn chắc chắn
make certain
to act so that, or check that, something is sure Make certain you arrive early; I think he's dead but you'd better make certain. seker maak يَتَأكَّد уверявам се ujistit se, přesvědčit se sikre sig sich vergewissern βεβαιώνομαι asegurar (millegi eest) hoolt kandma, üle kontrollima مطمئن شدن؛ اطمینان به عمل آوردن varmistua s'assurer que לְווַדֵא निश्चित करना sigurnost megbizonyosodik vmiről memastikan ganga úr skugga um assicurarsi, accertarsi 確かめる 확인하다 pa(si)tikrinti, daryti taip, kad būtum tikras pārliecināties pastikan zorgen forsikre seg om upewniać się ter a certeza a se asigura (că) удостовериться uistiť sa, presvedčiť sa prepričati se uveriti se förvissa sig om อย่างชัดเจน garantiye almak, emin olmak 確定 упевнитися в чомусь یقینی بنانا kiểm tra lại ...


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
For instance, a certain point of grammatical knowledge is present in the mind, but is not predicable of any subject; or again, a certain whiteness may be present in the body (for colour requires a material basis), yet it is never predicable of anything.
For though what may be called professed Wordsworthians, including Matthew Arnold, found a value in all that remains of him-- could read anything he wrote, "even the 'Thanksgiving Ode,'-- everything, I think, except 'Vaudracour and Julia,'"--yet still the decisiveness of such selections as those made by Arnold himself, and now by Professor Knight, hint at a certain very obvious difference of level in his poetic work.
And if we consider that nevertheless there have been at all times certain officers whose duty it was to see that private buildings contributed to public ornament, the difficulty of reaching high perfection with but the materials of others to operate on, will be readily acknowledged.
 
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