ASCERTAINING
Verb
ascertaining
present participle of ascertain
Anagrams
• anticreasing, arsenicating
Source: Wiktionary
ASCERTAIN
As`cer*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ascertained; p. pr. & vb. n.
Ascertaining.] Etym: [OF. acertener; a (L. ad) + certain. See
Certain.]
1. To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make
confident; to assure; to apprise. [Obs.]
When the blessed Virgin was so ascertained. Jer. Taylor.
Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and
that the Almighty had in a dream ascertained him of its effects.
Robertson.
2. To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity,
doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine. [Archaic]
The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth. Hooker.
The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and ascertain
the condemnation. Jer. Taylor.
The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the
queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett.
The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and
measure of taxation. Gibbon.
3. To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or
experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a
commodity, or the purity of a metal.
He was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent
on England was practicable. Macaulay.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition