Webster's English Dictionary

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certain

Cross references:
  1. sure                  
 
1. cer.tain \'s*rt-*n\ \-le-\ aj [ME, fr. OF, fr. (assumed) VL certanus, 
   fr. L certus, fr. pp. of Xcernere, to sift, discern, decide; akin to Gk 
   krinein to separate, decide, judge, keirein to cut - more at SHEAR 1a: 
   FIXED, SETTLED  1b: proved to be true  2: of a specific but unspecified 
   character : PARTICULAR  3a: DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE  3b: INDISPUTABLE  4a: 
   INEVITABLE  4b: incapable of failing : DESTINED  5: assured in mind or 
   action  - cer.tain.ly av
2. certain pn pl in constr  : certain ones