ASCERTAIN

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ascertain mean? 

• ASCERTAIN (verb)
  The verb ASCERTAIN has 4 senses:

1. establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study

2. be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something

3. find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort

4. learn or discover with certainty

  Familiarity information: ASCERTAIN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ASCERTAIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ascertain    ... he / she / it ascertains   
Past simple: ascertained   
Past participle: ascertained   
-ing form: ascertaining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

ascertain; determine; find; find out

Context example:

The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize

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"):

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

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)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

ascertainable (capable of being ascertained or found out)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

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

Context example:

control the quality of the product

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"):

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)

proof; proofread (read for errors)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 3

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

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

Context example:

Check whether the train leaves on time

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)

Sense 4

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)

 Context examples 

I advanced my head with precaution, desirous to ascertain if any bedroom window-blinds were yet drawn up: battlements, windows, long front—all from this sheltered station were at my command.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I spent three days in wiring to Dundee, and at the end of that time I had ascertained the names of the crew of the Sea Unicorn in 1883.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It had been ascertained at the shipping offices that Browner had left aboard of the May Day, and I calculate that she is due in the Thames to-morrow night.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The article had been published, as he had ascertained at the file in the Central Reading-room, but no word could he get from the editor.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

How could it ever be ascertained that his mind was truly cleansed?

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

But at this juncture, Mugridge, who had lifted his head and ascertained the extent of his loss, floundered over on the deck and buried his teeth in Wolf Larsen’s leg.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And by this ascertained standard, White Fang treated them accordingly.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I shall then make known to you something of the history of this man, which has been ascertained for me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I waited, in the utmost impatience, until my mother came home from Mrs. Grayper's (for it was that identical neighbour), to ascertain if we could get leave to carry out this great idea.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)