Ascertain

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /æsəˈteɪn/
• US enPR: ăs-É™r-tānʹ, IPA: /æsɚˈteɪn/
• Rhymes: -eɪn
• Hyphenation: as + cer + tain

Origin

From Old French acertener, from (a- ("to, towards") + certener ("make sure of"), from the adjective certain.

Full definition of ascertain

Verb

1. To find out definitely; to discover or establish.
• 1905, w, w:The Case of Miss Elliott Chapter 1, “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. â€¦â€
2. As soon as we ascertain what the situation is, we can plan how to proceed.

Synonyms

• determine
• discover
• establish
• find out
• learn
• work out

Anagrams

• Cartesian, cartesian, craniates, intracase, sectarian