ascertain, as cert aine, a certain

t. [O. Fr. as certainer, a certainer, acertener, acerteneir, acerter; Sp. acertar, from Fr., O. Fr., . certain.] [CERTAIN.] I. Of persons: To render a person certain of anything, or at least inspire him with confidence respecting it. "Mer. But how shall I be ascertained that I also should be entertained?"-Bunyan: P. P., pt. ii. II. Of things: *1. "To a ert for certain, to a ure." (Glo og. Nova .) 2. To render a thing certain which before was doubtful. *(a) By making that fixed which before was fluctuating, or at least liable to change. "For nought of them is yours, but th' onely usance Of a small time, which none as cert aine may. Spenser: Daphnaida. "... the mildne and precision of their laws ascer tained the rule and measure of taxation."-Gibbon. *(b) By arranging matters previously. Το insure. "The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority in the House of Lords, persuaded the Queen to create twelve new Peers." - Smollett . +3. By divine revelation, or at least by credible testimony regarding anything. "The divine law both as certain eth the truth, and supplieth unto us the want of other laws."- Hooker . "Money differs from uncoined silver in this, that the quantity of silver in each piece is ascertained by the stamp."-Locke. 4. By instituting an inquiry, investigation, examination, or experiment. (This is now the almost exclusive use of the word.) "The extent to which parliamentary support was bartered for money oney cannot be with any precision ascertained."-Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. xv. "Their periods may, therefore, be regarded as ascertained with the utmost exactne ."-Sir J. Herschel: Astron., 486. Ascertain may be followed by a substantive [examples under No. II. 1, 2, 3 and 4], by that [example under No. I.], or by whether . but he was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on England was practicable."-Macaulay: Hist Eng . , ch. xxiii.