certain

I. cer‧tain¹ S1 W1 /ˈsɜːtn $ ˈsɜːr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: certainty ≠ uncertainty; adverb: certainly ≠ uncertainly; adjective: certain ≠ uncertain]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Vulgar Latin certanus, from Latin certus 'decided, certain', from cernere 'to sift, decide']
1. [not before noun] confident and sure, without any doubts SYN sure
certain (that)
I’m absolutely certain that I left the keys in the kitchen.
I felt certain that I’d passed the test.
certain who/what/how etc
I’m not certain when it will be ready.
certain about/of
Now, are you certain about that?
They were watching him. He was certain of it.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say sure rather than certain:
▪ I’m sure I gave him the money.
2. if something is certain, it will definitely happen or is definitely true:
It now seems certain that there will be an election in May.
Many people look certain to lose their jobs.
It is wise to apply early to be certain of obtaining a place.
It’s not certain where he lived.
His re-election was considered virtually certain.
It is by no means certain that the deal will be accepted.
If they stayed in the war zone they would face certain death.
3. make certain
a) to check that something is correct or true SYN make sure
make certain (that)
We need to make certain that it’s going to fit first.
b) to do something in order to be sure that something will happen SYN make sure
make certain (that)
Secure the edges firmly to make certain that no moisture can get in.
4. for certain without doubt SYN for sure
know/say (something) for certain
I know for certain it’s in here somewhere.
that’s/one thing’s for certain
One thing’s for certain, he won’t be back.
5. [only before noun] used to talk about a particular person, thing, group of things etc without naming them or describing them exactly:
The library’s only open at certain times of day.
I promised to be in a certain place by lunchtime.
There are certain things I just can’t discuss with my mother.
certain kind/type/sort
the expectation of a certain kind of behaviour
in certain circumstances/cases etc
Extra funding may be available in certain circumstances.
6. a certain
a) used to say that an amount is not great:
You may need to do a certain amount of work in the evenings.
to a certain extent/degree (=partly, but not completely)
I do agree with his ideas to a certain extent.
b) enough of a particular quality to be noticed:
There’s a certain prestige about going to a private school.
c) formal used to talk about someone you do not know but whose name you have been told:
a certain Mr Franks
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ phrases
▪ it seems certain that … It seemed certain that the other team would win.
▪ somebody seems/looks/appears certain to do something For a while the whole project looked certain to fail.
▪ something is by no means certain (=not definite) Victory was by no means certain for Smith.
▪ something is far from certain (=not definite) Success is far from certain.
■ adverbs
▪ fairly certain Opposition to the changes is fairly certain.
▪ almost/virtually certain It is almost certain that she will be given a prison sentence. | Prices are virtually certain to increase.
■ nouns
▪ certain death If they stayed in the war zone, they faced almost certain death.
• • •
THESAURUS (for Meaning 2)
▪ certain if something is certain, you are completely sure that it will happen or is true: Success seems certain. | It is almost certain that there will be a change of government. | Nobody knows exactly who built the manor, but it is certain that an architect called John Sturges supplied the drawings.
▪ definite if something is definite, it is certain because someone has officially stated that it will happen, is true etc: I hope you can give me a definite answer soon. | The wedding will be next summer but a definite date has not been arranged yet. | I’ve got a good chance of getting the job, but it’s not definite yet.
▪ inevitable if something, especially something bad, is inevitable, it is certain to happen and you cannot do anything to prevent it: War now seems inevitable. | It was inevitable that he would find out her secret sooner or later. | Facial wrinkles are the inevitable result of aging.
▪ be bound to if something is bound to happen, it is very likely to happen, especially because that is what usually happens in that kind of situation. Be bound to is less formal than certain and is very common in everyday spoken English: The kids are bound to be hungry when they get home – they always are. | My car broke down today. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
▪ be assured of something formal to be certain to get something good, or to be successful: After the success of its recent single, the band is now assured of a contract with a major record company. | He is is virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister. | Our clients are assured of comfortable accommodation and the attention of our trained staff.
▪ something is a foregone conclusion if something is a foregone conclusion, its result is certain even though it has not happened yet: They were winning by such a large margin that victory seemed to be a foregone conclusion. | Party members believe it is a foregone conclusion that he will resign.
II. certain² BrE AmE pronoun
certain of somebody/something formal particular people or things in a group:
Certain of the payments were made on Mr Maxwell’s authority.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

certain

cer·tain adjective, pronoun [ˈsɜːtn] [ˈsɜːrtn]

adjective
1. that you can rely on to happen or to be true
• The climbers face certain death if the rescue today is unsuccessful.
• ~ (that)… It is certain that they will agree.
• ~ to do sth She looks certain to win an Oscar.
• They are certain to agree.

• ~ of sth/of doing sth If you want to be certain of getting a ticket, book now.

2. firmly believing sth; having no doubts
• ~ (that)… She wasn't certain (that) he had seen her.
• ~ of/about sth Are you absolutely certain about this?
• ~ who/where, etc… I'm not certain who was there.

• To my certain knowledge he was somewhere else at the time (= I am sure about it).

3. used to mention a particular thing, person or group without giving any more details about it or them
• For certain personal reasons I shall not be able to attend.
• Certain people might disagree with this.

• They refused to release their hostages unless certain conditions were met.

4. (formal) used with a person's name to show that the speaker does not know the person

• It was a certain Dr Davis who performed the operation.

5. slight; noticeable, but difficult to describe
• That's true, to a certain extent.
• I felt there was a certain coldness in her manner.
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.
Thesaurus:
certain adj.
1.
• She looks certain to win an Oscar.
bound • • sure • • guaranteed • • conclusive • • undeniable • • indisputable • • unquestionable • |formal destined • |written assured • |especially spoken definite •
Opp: uncertain
certain/sure/assured of sth
certain/bound/sure/guaranteed/destined to do sth
certain/conclusive/undeniable/indisputable/unquestionable/definite that…
2.
• Are you certain about this?
sure • • confident • • convinced • • clear • • satisfied • |especially spoken positive •
Opp: uncertain
certain/sure/confident/convinced/clear/positive about sth
certain/sure/confident/convinced/satisfied of sth
certain/sure/confident/convinced/clear/satisfied/positive that…
certain/sure/clear/satisfied who/what/how…
Certain or sure? Certain is slightly more formal and less frequent than sure. Both words are often used in negative statements and questions.
3.
• Certain people might disagree.
particular • • specific •
a certain/particular/specific event/incident/occasion/date
certain/particular/specific needs/requirements
a certain/particular/specific type/kind of sth
Synonyms:
certain
bound • sure • definite • guaranteed
These are all words describing sth that will definitely happen or is definitely true.
certain • that you can rely on to happen or be true: ▪ It's certain that they will agree. ◊ ▪ They are certain to agree.
bound • [not before noun] certain to happen, or to do or be sth. Bound is only used in the phrase bound to do/be, etc.: ▪ There are bound to be changes when the new system is introduced. ◊ ▪ You've done so much work— you're bound to pass the exam.
sure • certain to happen or be true; that can be trusted on relied on: ▪ She's sure to be picked for the team. ◊ ▪ It's sure to rain.
definite • (rather informal) certain to happen; that is not going to change: ▪ Is it definite that he's leaving?
guaranteed • certain to have a particular result: ▪ That kind of behaviour is guaranteed to make him angry.
certain/sure of sth
certain/bound/sure/guaranteed to do sth
certain/definite that…
I couldn't say for certain/sure/definite.
Synonyms:
sure
confident • convinced • certain • positive • clear
These words all describe sb who knows without doubt that sth is true or will happen.
sure • [not before noun] without any doubt that you are right, that sth is true, that you will get sth or that sth will happen: ▪ ‘Is that John over there?’ ‘I'm not sure.’ ◊ ▪ Are you sure about that? ◊ ▪ England must win this game to be sure of qualifying.
Sure is often used in negative statements and questions, because there is some doubt or anxiety over the matter. If there is no doubt, people often say quite sure: ▪ I'm quite sure (that) I left my bag here ▪ (= I have no doubt about it) ▪.
confident • completely sure that sth will happen in the way that you want or expect: ▪ I'm quite confident that you'll get the job. ◊ ▪ The team feels confident of winning.
Confident is a stronger and more definite word than sure and is more often used in positive statements, when you feel no anxiety.
convinced • [not before noun] completely sure that sth is true or right, especially because the evidence seems to prove it or sb else has persuaded you to believe it: ▪ I'm convinced that she's innocent.
certain • [not usually before noun] sure that you are right or that sth is true: ▪ Are you absolutely certain about this?
sure or certain?
Like sure, certain is often used in negative statements and questions. It is slightly more formal than sure; sure is more frequent, especially in spoken English.
positive • [not before noun] (rather informal) completely sure that sth is true: ▪ She was positive that he'd been there. ◊ ▪ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Positive.’
clear • (often used in negative statements and questions) having no doubt or confusion about sth: ▪ My memory isn't really clear on that point.
sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clear about sth
sure/confident/convinced/certain of sth
sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clear that…
sure/certain/clear who/what/how, etc.
to feel sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive
quite/absolutely/completely/fairly/pretty sure/confident/convinced/certain/positive/clear
not altogether sure/confident/convinced/certain/clear
Example Bank:
• Digby looked certain to be the next president.
• I don't know for certain how many people are coming.
• I grew more and more certain that she was lying to me.
• I think she's a teacher, but I couldn't say for certain.
• It's by no means certain that she'll get the job.
• Make certain that you lock the door if you go out.
• He wasn't certain who he'd given the papers to.
• I couldn't say for certain whether she'll be there.
• If you want to be certain of getting into the concert, buy your ticket now.
• It's certain that they will agree.
• She wasn't certain (that) he'd seen her.
• The climbers face certain death if the rescue attempt is unsuccessful.
• They are certain to agree.
• To my certain knowledge he was somewhere else at the time.
• You have to be quite certain of the facts before making a decision.

Idioms: for certain ▪ make certain ▪ make certain of of doing something ▪ of a certain age

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

certain

I [sɜ͟ː(r)t(ə)n]BEING SURE
♦♦♦
1) ADJ-GRADED: v-link ADJ, oft ADJ that/wh, ADJ of/about n If you are certain about something, you firmly believe it is true and have no doubt about it. If you are not certain about something, you do not have definite knowledge about it.
  She's absolutely certain she's going to make it in the world...
  We are not certain whether the appendix had already burst or not...
  It wasn't a balloon - I'm certain of that.
  Syn:
  sure
2) ADJ-GRADED: oft ADJ to-inf, it v-link ADJ that/wh, ADJ of n/-ing If you say that something is certain to happen, you mean that it will definitely happen.
  However, the scheme is certain to meet opposition from fishermen's leaders...
  It's not certain they'll accept the Front's candidate if he wins...
  Brazil need to beat Uruguay to be certain of a place in the finals...
  The Prime Minister is heading for certain defeat if he forces a vote...
  Victory looked certain.
3) ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft it v-link ADJ that/wh If you say that something is certain, you firmly believe that it is true, or have definite knowledge about it.
  One thing is certain, both have the utmost respect for each other...
  It is certain that Rodney arrived the previous day..
4) ADJ-GRADED: ADJ n If you have certain knowledge, you know that a particular thing is true.
  He had been there four times to my certain knowledge.
5) PHRASE: PHR with cl (not first in cl) If you know something for certain, you have no doubt at all about it.
  She couldn't know what time he'd go, or even for certain that he'd go at all...
  Hill had to find out for certain.
  Syn:
  for sure
6) PHRASE: V inflects If you make certain that something is the way you want or expect it to be, you take action to ensure that it is.
  Firstly, they must make certain that their pension needs are adequately catered for...
  To make extra certain, a police helicopter kept watch from the skies.
  Syn:
  make sureII [sɜ͟ː(r)t(ə)n]REFERRING AND INDICATING AMOUNT
♦♦
1) ADJ: det ADJ, ADJ n You use certain to indicate that you are referring to one particular thing, person, or group, although you are not saying exactly which it is.
  There will be certain people who'll say `I told you so!'...
  You owe a certain person a sum of money...
  Leaflets have been air dropped telling people to leave certain areas.
2) QUANT: QUANT of def-pl-n When you refer to certain of a group of people or things, you are referring to some particular members of that group. [FORMAL]
  They'll have to give up completely on certain of their studies.
  Syn:
  some
3) ADJ: a ADJ n-proper You can use a certain before the name of a person in order to indicate that you do not know the person or anything else about them.
  She managed to arrange for them to be hidden in the house of a certain Father Boduen.
4) ADJ: a ADJ sing-n/n-uncount You use a certain to indicate that something such as a quality or condition exists, and often to suggest that it is not great in amount or degree.
  That was the very reason why he felt a certain bitterness...
  There is a certain impatience among some of the soldiers...
  I received a certain amount of sympathy immediately after the attack.
  Syn:
  some

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹cer·tain /ˈsɚtn̩/ adj
1 not used before a noun [more ~; most ~] : not having any doubt about something : convinced or sure
• Are you certain [=sure] you want to leave today?
• I feel less than certain about it. [=I am not sure about it]
• She's certain (that) she can do the job despite her lack of experience.
• I'm fairly certain that I'll be on time.
2
- used with it to say that something is known to be true or correct
• Although little is known about these ancient people, it is certain that they grew a number of crops.
• It's not certain [=definite] that the company will lay off workers. [=the company may lay off workers, but it also may not]
• It seems certain that the jury will convict him.
3
- used to say that something will definitely happen or that someone will definitely do something
• Before the game was half over our team's defeat was nearly certain.
• Contact with the poison means certain death.
• Her victory seems certain.
- often followed by to + verb
• As technology develops, the rates of success with the procedure are certain to improve.
• Health-care costs are certain [=sure] to increase in coming years.
• She is almost certain to win.
• He's all but certain to say no. [=he will almost surely say no]
4 always used before a noun
- used to refer to something or someone that is not named specifically
• Each employee will receive a certain share of the profits.
• Building even a simple bookcase takes a certain amount of skill. [=takes some skill]
• Certain people are always late for dinner.
• On certain days there is no parking on the street.
• The new technology has certain limitations.
• Students must fulfill certain requirements to graduate.
• She's allergic to certain [=particular] foods.
• The contract can be extended under certain circumstances. [=in some special cases]
• To a certain extent [=up to a point] he's right.
• The movie will appeal to people of a certain age. [=people who are no longer young]
a certain
1
- used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe
• She has a certain elegance about her.
• The house has a certain charm.
2 formal
- used with the name of a person you do not know
• In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.
for certain : without a doubt : definitely or certainly
• No one knows for certain what the outcome will be.
• We'll need more than an hour to get there for certain. [=for sure]
make certain : to do something or find out something so that you have no doubt about whether something is true, correct, will happen, etc.
• Make certain (that) you lock the door when you leave. = Make certain to lock the door when you leave.
• We must make certain [=make sure] this doesn't happen again.
• She made certain she thanked each of them for coming.
- sometimes + of
• Make certain of your flight times [=be sure that you definitely know your flight times] before you leave for the airport.

certain

adjective

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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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