certain: Meaning and Definition of

cer•tain

Pronunciation: (sûr'tn), [key]
— adj.
  1. free from doubt or reservation; confident; sure: I am certain he will come.
  2. destined; sure to happen (usually fol. by an infinitive): He is certain to be there.
  3. inevitable; bound to come: They realized then that war was certain.
  4. established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable: It is certain that he tried.
  5. fixed; agreed upon; settled: on a certain day; for a certain amount.
  6. definite or particular, but not named or specified: A certain person phoned. He had a certain charm.
  7. that may be depended on; trustworthy; unfailing; reliable: His aim was certain.
  8. some though not much: a certain reluctance.
  9. steadfast.
  10. without a doubt; surely: I know for certain that I have seen that face before.
—pron.
  1. certain ones: Certain of the members declined the invitation.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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