tr.v., -tained, -tain·ing, -tains.

1. To discover with certainty, as through examination or experimentation. See synonyms at discover.
2. Archaic. To make certain, definite, and precise.

[Middle English acertainen, to inform, from Old French acertener, ascertain- : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad–) + certain, certain; see certain.]

ascertainable as'cer·tain'a·ble adj.
ascertainableness as'cer·tain'a·ble·ness n.
ascertainably as'cer·tain'a·bly adv.
ascertainment as'cer·tain'ment n.

verb

To obtain knowledge or awareness of something not known before, as through observation or study: determine, discover, find (out), hear, learn. See teach/learn.

IN BRIEF: To find out, to be sure of.

Nadine tried to ascertain the hidden meaning of the poem.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 4 meanings:

Meaning #1: after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
  Synonyms: determine, find, find out

Meaning #2: be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
  Synonyms: see, check, insure, see to it, ensure, control, assure

Meaning #3: find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
  Synonyms: determine, check, find out, see, watch, learn

Meaning #4: learn or discover with certainty

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - forvisse sig om, undersøge rigtigheden af

idioms:

• ascertain that    konstatere at

Nederlands (Dutch)
zich vergewissen van, nagaan

Français (French)
v. tr. - établir, vérifier

Deutsch (German)
v. - feststellen, ermitteln, sich vergewissern

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - εξακριβώνω, διαπιστώνω

idioms:

• ascertain that    εξακριβώνω, διαπιστώνω

Italiano (Italian)
accertare

idioms:

• ascertain that    accertarsi di

Português (Portuguese)
v. - apurar, verificar, determinar

idioms:

• ascertain that    verificar que

Русский (Russian)
устанавливать, выяснить

idioms:

• ascertain that    удостовериться, что

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - comprobar, averiguar, cerciorarse

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - förvissa sig om

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
确定, 探知

idioms:

• ascertain that    确定..., 探查...

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 確定, 探知

idioms:

• ascertain that    確定..., 探查...

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 확인하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 確かめる

idioms:

• ascertain that    確かめる, 確定する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يتحقق من‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮וידא, אימת, בירר‬

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