Forms: α. 3–6 certein, -eyn, (-eine, -eyne), 4–7 certen, 4–6 certayn(e, 4–7 certaine, 4– certain; (also 4–5 certan, 4–6 -tane, 5–6 certyn, 7 certaint, certien); β. 4–6 serteyn(e, 5–6 serten, 4–5 sertan, -tain, -tayn, 5–6 sertayne, 6 sarteyn, -tayne, 8 dial. sartan. [a. OF. certain (= Pr. certan, Sp. and It. certano), repr. late L. or Romanic type certān-us, certān-o, f. cert-us determined, settled, sure, orig. pa. pple. of cern-ĕre to decide, determine, etc. The sense-development had taken place already with L. certus. The comparative and superlative, certainer, certainest, are of common occurrence up to the middle of 18th c., but are now seldom used.]
I. 1. Determined, fixed, settled; not variable or fluctuating; unfailing. To avoid ambiguity from confusion with sense 7, the adj. is sometimes put after its sb., as a certain day, a day certain.
Certain price: in Foreign Exchanges, the fixed sum in one currency, of which the value is expressed by a varying sum in another.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 378. To a man to bere þeruore a certeyn rente by þe ȝere.
1461–83. Lib. Niger Edw. IV., in Ord. R. Househ. (1790), 18. A formal and convenient custume more certayne than was used byfore his tyme.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 6. Musicke is included in no certaine bounds.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxvii. § 5. That which produceth any certain effect.
1611. Bible, 1 Cor. iv. 11. We both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and haue no certaine dwelling place.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 384. The number of them hath not beene certaine in our dayes: at this time there are about sixty and eight … in former ages, they were but twelue.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., II. 500. Wandering up and down without certain seat.
1741. T. Robinson, Gavelkind, v. 79. A Fair or Market with Toll certain.
1817. W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius, II. 669. Apartments were taken ‘for 12 months certain, and six months’ notice afterwards.’
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng., II. 111. Payment of money on a day certain.
1866. Crump, Banking, vii. 146. Paris is said to give to London the ‘uncertain’ for the ‘certain’ price, when a [varying] number of francs and cents are exchanged for the £ sterling.
b. Definite, exact, precise. arch.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 143. So that his word be … so certeine, That in him be no double speche.
a. 1541. Wyatt, Lett., in Wks. (1861), Introd. 22. The certain time how long I tamed after … I remember not.
1676. Marvell, Gen. Counc., Wks. 1875, IV. 152. The answer is now much shorter and certainer.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. 18. We have no way of determining by Experience, what is the certain Bulk of the living Being each man calls himself.
1788. J. Powell, Devises (1827), II. 75. It is of more importance that rules of this description should be certain.
2. Sure, unerring, not liable to fail; to be depended upon; wholly trustworthy or reliable.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12785. To bring fra iohn certan tiþand.
c. 1314. Guy Warw. (A.), 900. His stede That certeyne was and gode at nede.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 3028. Rychard bad his men seche For some wys clerk and sertayn leche … For to loke hys uryn.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 12. The righter and certainer mark to know him by.
1650. R. Stapylton, Strada’s Low-C. Warres, VII. 40. I have no more, nor no certainer Intelligence then others.
1752. Johnson, Rambl., No. 203, ¶ 2. To repose upon real facts, and certain experience.
1834. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xv. (1849), 141. A certain indication of a coming tempest.
b. Sure to come or follow; inevitable.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23732. Es nathing certainur þan dede, Ne vncertainner þan es þe tide.
1598. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 24. Fearfull more of shame Then of the certeine perill he stood in.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 29. Those certaine tortures, he had doubtlesse receiued, had he stood vpon his Iustification at the Court.
1669. Shadwell, Royal Shepherdess, V. 67. Teach the world That such who dare be Traytors to their King, Do on themselves the certain’st ruine bring.
1884. Gustafson, Found. Death, Pref. (ed. 3), p. vi. Truth’s laborious but certain advance.
c. Sure in its operation or effects; ‘unfailing; that always produces the expected effect’ (J.).
1636. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavel’s Disc. Livy, II. 593. There is no truer nor certainer way, than to make them doe some foule act against him.
1745. R. Mead, Poisons, 158 (J.). I have often wished, that I knew so certain a remedy in any other disease.
1771. Lett. Junius, lxi. 317. The abuse of a valuable privilege is the certain means to lose it.
1809. Roland, Fencing, 80. To give any certain directions to deceive the adversary would be impossible.
3. Established as a truth or fact to be absolutely received, depended, or relied upon; not to be doubted, disputed, or called in question; indubitable, sure.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2273. Hit semes more sertain, sothely, to me … Hit may negh vs with noy.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark xiii. 29. It is muche certayner that that day shall cum, then it is certayne that summer foloweth after wynter.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iv. 15. Duncans Horses, (A thing most strange, and certaine) … Turn’d wilde in nature.
1611. Bible, Deut. xiii. 14. Then shalt thou enquire … and behol, if it be trueth, and the thing certaine, [etc.].
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., IV. xviii. § 4. Whatsoever Truth we come to the clear discovery of, from the … Contemplation of our own Ideas, will always be certainer to us, than those which are convey’d to us by Traditional Revelation.
1705. S. Clarke, Being & Attrib. of God, 19 (R.). That Something therefore has really Existed from Eternity, is one of the certainest and most evident Truths in the World.
1729. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 199. It is certain that effects must have a cause.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., III. xlvi. 13. A fact as certain as it appears incredible.
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, Introd. § 2. 3. We can conceive nothing more absolutely certain than that we exist.
1877. E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, iv. 175, note. It appears to me not only conceivable, but probable, if not certain.
4. Of persons: Fully confident upon the ground of knowledge, or other evidence believed to be infallible; having no doubt; assured; sure (= ‘subjectively certain’). Const. of a thing, that it is so.
Morally certain: so sure that one is morally justified in acting upon the conviction.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. III. 77. Þei timbrede not so hye, Ne bouȝte none Borgages, beo ȝe certeyne.
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 362. We ben certein þat crist may not axe oþir obedience. Ibid. (1382), Rom. xv. 14. I my silf am certeyn of ȝou, for and ȝe ȝou silf ben ful of loue.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., II. ii. 57. I know you could not lacke, I am certaine on’t.
1645. Earl Glamorgan, Lett., 28 Nov., in Carte MSS. I am morally certain a total assent from the Nuncio shall be declared to the propositions for peace.
1679. Penn, Addr. Prot., II. 146. A man can never be Certain of that, about which he has not the Liberty of Examining, Understanding, or Judging: Confident (I confess) he may be; but that’s quite another thing than being Certain.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 6. We are certain, at least, of the existence of those beings.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev. (1871), II. IV. vii. 148. Besides one is not sure, only morally-certain.
1864. Tennyson, Grandmother, xxi. I am not always certain if they be alive or dead.
† 5. Blending senses 1 and 4. Obs.
a. Confirmed by experience or practice; well-founded, well-grounded; fully established.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 19507 (Fairf.). Walcande fra stede to stede in mare certain faiþ þen þai ware are.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 180. Whan they ben of the feith certein, They gone to Barbarie ayein. Ibid., III. 303. He taught her till she was certeine Of harpe, citole and of riote.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 159/1. He was certeyn in the doctryne of the gospel.
† b. Self-determined, resolved; steadfast. (Cf. L. certus mori.) Obs.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 953. However I with thee have fixt my Lot, Certain to undergoe like doom, if Death Consort with thee.
1672. Marvell, Corr., ccvii. Wks. 1872–5, II. 408. He doth still continue certain to the former resolutions.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xxi. § 48. The certainer such Determination is, the greater is the Perfection.
6. By a change of construction, a person or agent is said to be certain to do a thing, when the fact that he will do it is certain. The use thus attaches itself logically to 1, and in such a sentence as ‘the town is certain to be taken,’ certain might be referred to that sense.
1653. Walton, Angler, ii. 49. I’l be as certain to make him a good dish of meat, as I was to catch him.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. xxiii. 537. The truth that honest and unselfish labour is just as certain to grow as it is to live.
Mod. We are certain to meet him in the course of our rambles.
II. 7. Used to define things that the mind definitely individualizes or particularizes from the general mass, but which may be left without further identification in description; thus often used to indicate that the speaker does not choose further to identify or specify them: in sing. = a particular, in pl. = some particular, some definite.
Different as this seems to be from sense 1, it is hardly separable from it in a large number of examples: thus, in the first which follows, the hour was quite ‘certain’ or ‘fixed,’ but it is not communicated to the reader; to him it remains, so far as his knowledge is concerned, quite indefinite; it may have been, as far as he knows, at any hour; though, as a fact, it was at a particular hour. (The absolute uses are in B 4–6.)
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8933. Ilk dai a certain hore! Þar lighted dun of heuen ture Angels.
138[?]. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 220. How religious men shoulde kepe certayne Articles.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 16. A certain ile, which Paphos Men clepe.
1483. Caxton, G. L., 242/1. Saynt domynyk spak to the pryour … of certeyne mater.
1526. Tindale, John xi. 1. A certayne man was sicke, named Lazarus.
1536. Wriothesley, Chron. (1875), I. 61. In Aprill 1536, certen comyssions were sente into the weste countrye.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. v. 152. The rootes be … covered with certayne scales.
1600. F. Walker, Sp. Mandeville, 18 b. Theyr garments are made of a certaine fine woll, like Bombast.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., V. i. 129. For certaine words he spake against your Grace.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xix. 94. Not every one but Certain men distinguished from the rest.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 173, ¶ 3. There are certain faces for certain Painters, as well as certain Subjects for certain Poets.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 37, ¶ 1. A Letter … directed to a certain Lady whom I shall here call by the Name of Leonora.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 1. In certain parts of America, Tar-water is made.
1805. Med. Jrnl., XIV. 437. The Reports which certain public associations have circulated.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. IV. vi. § 1. Everything that is natural is, within certain limits, right.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 5. If a certain quantity of beef be given for a certain quantity of corn.
1879. M. Arnold, Equality, Mixed Ess., 65. Certain races and nations, are on certain lines pre-eminent and representative.
1887. (Police Notice) ‘Whereas certain persons unknown did, on the night of…, feloniously enter,’ etc.
† b. Some certain: some particular, some … which might be particularized. Obs.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, Qq iiii. In case some certeine Circe shoulde tourne into wilde beastes al the Frenche Kinges subiectes.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. v. 6. A man is … neuer welcome to a place, till some certain shot be paid. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., I. i. 87. His true Titles to some certaine Dukedomes, And generally, to the Crowne and Seat of France.
1732. Pope, Ess. Man, II. 189. Lust, thro’ some certain strainers well refin’d, Is gentle love.
† c. With pl. sb., often (like some) referring to number; usually: Some definitely, some at least, a restricted or limited number of.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10947. There þai fourmyt a fest … Serten dayes by-dene duly to hold.
1582. G. Martin, in Fulke, Defence (1843), 229. You abuse the people for certain years with false translations.
1635. N. R., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., 1. The death of Queen Mary having been certaine hours concealed.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. III. 192. In Rome … he was certain months in the character of Ambassador.
d. Of positive yet restricted (or of positive even if restricted) quantity, amount or degree; of some extent at least.
1538. Starkey, England, 13. Ther ys a certyn equyte and justyce among al natyonys and pepul.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 106, ¶ 6. His Virtues … are as it were tinged by a certain Extravagance.
1763. Mrs. Brooke, Lady J. Mandeville, in Barbauld, Brit. Novelists (1820), XXVII. 22. She … has … a prodigious passion for people of a certain rank, a phrase of which she is peculiarly fond. Ibid., 63. I knew her rage for title, tinsel, and ‘people of a certain rank.’
1810. G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 476. Mr. Perceval … found a certain improvement in him.
1845. Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 131. He kept up a certain degree of intercourse … with the Gonfaloniere Capponi.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 18. 123. The ice is disintegrated to a certain depth.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 117. The bank makes a certain profit out of the business.
e. Sometimes euphemistically: Which it is not polite or necessary further to define. A certain age: an age when one is no longer young, but which politeness forbids to be specified too minutely: usually, referring to some age between forty and sixty. (Mostly said of women.)
1748. Lady Featherstonhaugh, in Lady Chatterton, Mem. Ld. Gambier (1861), I. ii. 25. Some very handsome ladies of a certain sort, who always make part of his suite.
1803. Jane Porter, Thaddeus, xxviii. At the epoch, called a certain age, she found herself an old maid.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xxii. She was not old, nor young, nor at the years Which certain people call a certain age, which yet the most uncertain age appears. Ibid. (1822), Juan, VI. lxix. A lady of a ‘certain age,’ which means Certainly aged.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, i. A very old house, perhaps as old as it claimed to be, and perhaps older, which will sometimes happen with houses of an uncertain, as with ladies of a certain, age.
1877. Howells, Out of Question, 133. His feet are set rather wide apart in the fashion of gentlemen approaching a certain weight.
f. With a proper name, it implies that the person so indicated is presumed to be unknown except by name = ‘a certain person called’ or ‘calling himself’; hence often conveying a slight shade of disdain.
1785. Cowper, Lett., 5 Feb. A certain lord Archibald Hamilton has hired the house of Mr. Small … for a hunting seat.
1833. Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 348. A certain Benjamin Franklin French writes to me from New Orleans.
1870. L’Estrange, Miss Mitford, I. v. 139. Mrs. Raggett brought with her a certain Miss Lucy.
B. quasi-sb. or ellipt. What is certain.
I. † 1. Fixed, settled, or appointed condition, order, etc.; certainty. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. VI. 153. It is an vnresonable Religioun þat hath riȝte nouȝte of certeyne.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 251. But every time hath his certain.
1631. T. Powell, Tom All Trades, 146. Having no such pensions in certaine.
† 2. Certain state of matters, fact or account; that which may be relied on; certainty. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27001. Sant paule sais of vr last dai, Es nan mai certain þer-of sai.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur (1816), II. 362. That knight that hurt him knew the very certain that he had hurt Sir Launcelot.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, cxliii. 530. He sent out his spyes to knowe the sartayne which waye the emperours nephue shulde come.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. i. 16. That’s the certaine of it.
1607. C. Lever, in Farr’s, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 169. Honour, beautie, nor desire of golde, Cannot the certaine of their death withhold.
b. For certain, in certain, etc.: see 7–10 below.
† 3. The state of mental certainty, certitude. Obs.
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 339. But as God wole of þre þingis, þat we knowun hem not in certein.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 348. I hove In none certein betwene the two.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur (1817), II. 290. Than they were at certayne that they were of naturel colours withoute payntynge.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxxxiii. 326. As than they were nat in certayne yf they shulde passe that way. Ibid. (1812), I. 464. It is of certayne that we shall conquere you.
II. † 4. A definite quantity or amount (of). Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 471. Biseching him to lene him a certeyn Of gold.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. xiii. 358. He ȝaf a certein of possessioun.
1522. MS. Acc. St. John’s Hosp., Canterb., Paied for a certen of bryk by the lumpe.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Germanie, iii. (1622), 264. To pay a certaine of corne, or cattell, or apparell.
† b. ellipt. A fixed or definite sum of money.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 39. For þes he þam bisouht, to gyf þam a certeyn.
1401. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 81. Ne non suffragies selle for a certeyn bi ȝere.
1505. E. E. Wills (1882), 135. A perpetual serteyn … to be distribute to xij powre persons on seynt Brices day.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 180/2. The preests paieng a certeine to the king.
† 5. A definite (restricted) number (of things).
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 547. She to soper come … With a certeyn of her owne men.
1462. J. Daubeney, in Paston Lett., 452, II. 102. Ye wolle late me have a serteyn of your bulloks for the vetelyng of the Barge.
1547. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. II. App. D 24. A certen of the wysest … men.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. 1 Peter iii. 20. Put of for a certayn of yeares.
1621. Bk. Discip. Ch. Scot., 9. A certaine of the nobilitie were convened.
† b. Occasionally without of: cf. A. 7. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xiv. 13. A certayne noble knightis … she kept styl about her.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John, 119 b. After I haue taried a certayne dayes among them.
† c. ellipt. A fixed number of prayers or masses.
[1431. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 278. His certeyntee [1448 certeyn] of messes.]
1466. Fun. J. Paston, in Lett., II. 271. To the said parson for a certeyn unto Mighelmesse next after the said yere day, viiis. viiid.
1496. Will of J. Burgh (Somerset Ho.). I bequeith xxxs. iiijd. for to have a certeyn rehersed in the church.
1849. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. viii. 126.
† d. ellipt. A restricted number of persons; some. Obs.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 611/1. God chooseth a certayne whome he lyketh.
1541. Paynell, Catiline, xxvii. 47. They chose out a certayne, whiche shulde besyege Pompeys house.
6. Closely related to this is the current (though somewhat archaic) use without a, both followed by of and absolutely, which may also be treated as a pronominal or absolute use of sense 7 in A.
a. of persons.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1709. Ector … and certen hym with.
1450. W. Somner, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 3. He sente … certyn letters to certyn of his trustid men.
1526. Tindale, Acts xii. 1. To vexe certayne [Wyclif sum men] of the congregacion.
1538. Starkey, England, 54. Polytyke rule … may be other vnder a prynce, commyn conseyl of certayn, or vnder the hole multytude.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 122. I haue mou’d already Some certaine of the Noblest minded Romans.
1611. Bible, Pref., 1. Certaine, which would be counted pillars of the State.
b. of things.
1841. Myers, Cath. Th., III. § 17. 62. Certain of the Psalms.
1855. Dickens, Dorrit, iii. Mrs. Clennam dipped certain of the rusks and ate them; while the old woman buttered certain other of the rusks.
III. Phrases.
7. For certain; formerly (and still dial.) also for a certain: as a certainty, assuredly. [= F. pour certain, Littré.]
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 2901. Sir, for sertayn, That wald I here and that ful fayn.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), B iij. For certaine al the fruites cometh not togither.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1608), 48. It was reported for a certaine, that a Viper entring into a mans mouth [etc.].
1611. Bible, Jer. xxvi. 15. But know ye for certaine, That if ye put mee to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood vpon your selues, [etc.].
1646. Cromwell, Lett., 10 Aug. I hear for certain that Ormond has concluded a peace with the Rebels.
1707. E. Ward, Hud. Rediv. (1715), II. v. He meant the Butcher, for a certain.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. § 16. 39. He was for certain a most useful Member.
18[?]. Southey, Roprecht, iv. Roprecht for certain is not dead!
† 8. In certain: in truth, certainly, truly. Obs. [Cf. OF. à certain, Dewes.]
c. 1340. Cursor M., 11577 (Laud). This was þe somme in certayn Of the childryn þat were slayne.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, G iij. For in certayne he hath leyd thre egges. Ibid. (c. 1489), Sonnes of Aymon, i. 52. In certeyn the duke of Aygremounte is ryght myghty.
1493. Petronilla, 57 (Pynson). And she fulfylled his byddynge in certeyn Withoute grutchinge of virgynall mekenesse.
9. Of a certain (arch.), formerly of certain: as a matter of certainty, certainly, assuredly. [= OF. de certain, Dewes.] To this may belong Caxton’s a certain; but this may be from Fr. (cf. 8).
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), ii. 229. I know of a certayn.
1488. Caxton, Chast. Goddes Chyld., 46. Yf we knew a certen that suche men deyed wythout repentaunce.
1575. Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford, 97. It began to be muttred off certeyne that the Magistrate [etc.].
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. iv. 112. They … who of certain report, that [etc.].
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, iv. Of a certain, those whingers are pretty toys.
C. adv. 1. Certainly, of a truth, assuredly. (Mostly parenthetic = CERTAINLY 4.)
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 82. My boke sais certayn, þat he gaf neuer þat rede.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 375. And elles certeyn hadde thei ben to blame.
a. 1400[?]. Arthur, 501. Þus worschup god dude certeyn To Englond, þat þo was Bretayn.
1509. Hawes, Examp. Virt., x. 191. It brenneth hote lyke fyre certeyn.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. vi. 29. Lorenzo certaine, and my loue indeed.
1704. Rowe, Ulyss., IV. i. 1768. She is lost—most certain—gone irrevocable.
2. With certainty, surely.
1382. Wyclif, Acts xxiii. 20. As thei ben to sekinge sum thing certeynere [v.r. and 1388 more certeynly of him].
a. 1734. North, Lives, II. 346. There is no place … in which an ingenious person comes sooner and certainer to preferment, than in the Turkish Court.
† 3. Emphasizing sooth, true, sure. Obs. or dial.
a. 1500. in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 205. Certain sothe.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 401. Being most undoubted and certain true.
1804. Southey, in Robberds, Mem. W. Taylor, I. 482. You will, I am certain-sure, be well pleased.
1875. Parish, Sussex Dial., Certain Sure, the superlative of certainly.
