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certainty

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishcerteynte(“surety”),fromAnglo-Normancerteinte,fromOld Frenchcerteinete,fromVulgar Latin*certānitās,fromLatincertus.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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certainty(countableanduncountable,pluralcertainties)

  1. The state of beingcertain.
    Synonyms:certitude,sureness
    Antonyms:doubt,uncertainty
    • 1720,Samuel Fancourt,“The Remarker's second Objection produced and examined”, inAn Essay Concerning Certainty and Infallibility: Or, Some Reflections Upon a Pamphlet Stiled, “The Nature and Consequences of Enthusiasm Considered, in Some Short Remarks on the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity Stated and Defended.” In a Letter to the Author of Those Remarks‎[1],London:R. Cruttenden,page35:
      That there may beCertaintyupon an infallible Evidence in Matters of Science, I readily grant you. But since there once were Scepticks in Philosophy as well as Religion, such as doubted of every thing, I very much question, whether the whole World be agreed in this Point; unless you could assure me, that Race of Seekers is now extinct.
    • October 12, 1786,Fisher Ames,“Lucius Junius Brutus”, inIndependent Chronicle:
      Thecertaintyof punishment is the truest security against crimes.
  2. An instance of being certain.
  3. A fact or truth unquestionably established.
    Synonyms:seeThesaurus:sure thing
    • 1824,Walter Savage Landor,Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen,volume I, London:[…]Taylor and Hessey,[…],→OCLC:
      Certaintiesare uninteresting and sating.
    • 1895,Alexander Robinson, chapterXXI,inThe Saviour in the Newer Light: A Present Day Study of Jesus Christ‎[2],Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood & Sons,page337:
      There is acertaintyattainable. Acertaintyof feeling will arise through the very contemplation of Jesus. But there is also attainable acertaintyof Reason.
    • November 2 2014,Daniel Taylor, “Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United”, inguardian.co.uk‎[3]:
      Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described ascertainties.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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