Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ascertain
Asˊcer-tain′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ascertained
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Ascertaining
.] 1.
To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise.
[Obs.]
When the blessed Virgin was so
ascertained
. Jer. Taylor.
Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and that the Almighty had in a dream
ascertained
him of its effects. Robertson.
2.
To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine.
[Archaic]
The divine law . . .
ascertaineth
the truth. Hooker.
The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and
ascertain
the condemnation. Jer. Taylor.
The ministry, in order to
ascertain
a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett.
The mildness and precision of their laws
ascertained
the rule and measure of taxation. Gibbon.
3.
To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know;
as, to
. ascertain
the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metalHe was there only for the purpose of
ascertaining
whether a descent on England was practicable. Macaulay.
Webster 1828 Edition
Ascertain
ASCERTA'IN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To make certain; to define or reduce to precision by moving obscurity or ambiguity.The divine law ascertains the truth.
2.
To make certain, by trial, examination or experiment, so as to know what was before unknown; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal.3.
To make sure by previous measures.The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority in the house of lords, persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers.
4.
To make certain or confident, followed by a pronoun; as, to ascertain us of the goodness of our work. [unusual.]5.
To fix; to establish with certainty; to render invariable, and not subject to will.The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation.
Definition 2024
ascertain
ascertain
English
Verb
ascertain (third-person singular simple present ascertains, present participle ascertaining, simple past and past participle ascertained)
- To find out definitely; to discover or establish.
- 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 1, in The Tremarn Case:
- “There the cause of death was soon ascertained ; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom. […]”
- As soon as we ascertain what the situation is, we can plan how to proceed.
-
Synonyms
Translations
find out; discover or establish
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