Library / English Dictionary

ASCERTAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something

Example:

control the quality of the product

Synonyms:

ascertain; assure; check; control; ensure; insure; see; see to it

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "ascertain" is one way to...):

verify (confirm the truth of)

Verb group:

check; check off; mark; mark off; tick; tick off (put a check mark on or near or next to)

check (verify by consulting a source or authority)

ascertain; check; determine; find out; learn; see; watch (find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort)

control; verify (check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ascertain"):

proof; proofread (read for errors)

control (verify by using a duplicate register for comparison)

double-check (check once more to be absolutely sure)

cross-check (check out conflicting sources; crosscheck facts, for example)

cinch (make sure of)

card (ask someone for identification to determine whether he or she is old enough to consume liquor)

spot-check (pick out random samples for examination in order to ensure high quality)

cover (maintain a check on; especially by patrolling)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 2

Meaning:

Learn or discover with certainty

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "ascertain" is one way to...):

discover; find out; get a line; get wind; get word; hear; learn; pick up; see (get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ascertain"):

price (ascertain or learn the price of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They ascertain that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

ascertainable (capable of being ascertained or found out)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study

Example:

The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize

Synonyms:

ascertain; determine; find; find out

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Verb group:

ascertain; check; determine; find out; learn; see; watch (find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort)

discover; find (make a discovery, make a new finding)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ascertain"):

locate; situate (determine or indicate the place, site, or limits of, as if by an instrument or by a survey)

admeasure (determine the quantity of someone's share)

count; enumerate; number; numerate (determine the number or amount of)

refract (determine the refracting power of (a lens))

sequence (determine the order of constituents in)

redetermine (fix, find, or establish again)

rectify (math: determine the length of)

translate (determine the amino-acid sequence of a protein during its synthesis by using information on the messenger RNA)

gauge (determine the capacity, volume, or contents of by measurement and calculation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

ascertainable (capable of being ascertained or found out)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort

Example:

Check whether the train leaves on time

Synonyms:

ascertain; check; determine; find out; learn; see; watch

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Verb group:

ascertain; assure; check; control; ensure; insure; see; see to it (be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something)

ascertain; determine; find; find out (establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ascertain"):

test (determine the presence or properties of (a substance))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They ascertain whether there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

ascertainable (capable of being ascertained or found out)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The ladies were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining from an upper window that he wore a blue coat, and rode a black horse.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Their own inclinations ascertained, there were no difficulties behind, no drawback of poverty or parent.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Fever in which the etiology cannot be ascertained.

(Fever of Unknown Origin, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

You had better look about you, and ascertain what you do, and what you mean to do.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

An assessment tool to ascertain verbal learning and memory skills that is well tolerated by those with moderate to severe dementia.

(Hopkins Verbal Learning Test Revised, NCI Thesaurus)

There is no harm in double checking what you think you heard to ascertain that everyone is on the same page.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

But if she DID, the letter was written and sent away with a privacy which eluded all her watchfulness to ascertain the fact.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Any one of several evaluation/assessment tools used to ascertain a patient's level of pain.

(Pain Assessment Tool, NCI Thesaurus)

Ascertained or determined through monitoring or observation.

(Observed, NCI Thesaurus)

The test ascertains whether the material is tough or brittle.

(Device Impact Testing Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)