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Ascertain
Definitions
- 1 To find out definitely; to discover or establish. transitive
"As soon as we ascertain what the situation is, we can plan how to proceed."
- 2 be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something wordnet
- 3 To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform. obsolete, transitive
"Therfore the saide cõmissioners shall mowe say that nowe late during the parlement the King ascertaigned of the saide maliciouse pʳpose of his enemys, willed and desired the lords being then present to shewe their̃ good willes aide and helpe for the saide rescues[…]"
- 4 learn or discover with certainty wordnet
- 5 To look for something lost. Yorkshire, dated, intransitive
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- 6 establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study wordnet
- 7 To establish, to prove. archaic, transitive
"The two firſt lines of the following book ſeem to aſcertain the true meaning of the concluſion of this, and to prove ſufficiently that by Ωκεανός here, Homer could not poſſibly intend any other than a river."
- 8 find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort wordnet
- 9 To ensure or effect. archaic, transitive
"It is true, that no diligence can aſcertain ſucceſs ; death may intercept the ſwifteſt career ; but he who is cut off in the execution of an honeſt undertaking, has at leaſt the honour of falling in his rank, and has fought the battle, though he miſſed the victory."
Etymology
From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.
See also for "ascertain"
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