In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his familyâs pot filled with coffee.
CERTAINLY
surely, certainly, sure, for sure, for certain, sure enough, sure as shooting
(adverb) definitely or positively (âsureâ is sometimes used informally for âsurelyâ); âthe results are surely encouragingâ; âshe certainly is a hard workerâ; âitâs going to be a good day for sureâ; âthey are coming, for certainâ; âthey thought he had been killed sure enoughâ; âheâll win sure as shootingâ; âthey sure smell goodâ; âsure heâll comeâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adverb
certainly (comparative more certainly, superlative most certainly)
In a way which is certain; with certainty.
Without doubt, surely.
An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.
Synonyms
• (with certainty): absolutely, beyond doubt, indubitably, sure thing, undoubtedly, wis (obsolete), without a doubt
• (without doubt): definitely, doubtlessly, in fact, indeed, indisputably, indubitably, no doubt, really, sure, surely, truly, undoubtedly, unquestionably, wis (obsolete), without a doubt
• (emphatic affirmative): damn right, damn straight, fo shizzle, for sure, oh yeah, wye aye (dialect)
Coordinate terms
• maybe, possibly, arguably, questionably, probably, perhaps
Source: Wiktionary
Cer"tain*ly, adv.
Definition: Without doubt or question; unquestionably.
CERTAIN
Cer"tain, a. Etym: [F. certain, fr. (assumed) LL. certanus, fr. L. certus determined, fixed, certain, orig. p. p. of cernere to perceive, decide, determine; akin to Gr. concern, critic, crime, riddle a sieve, rinse, v.]
1. Assured in mind; having no doubts; free from suspicions concerning. To make her certain of the sad event. Dryden. I myself am certain of you. Wyclif.
2. Determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive. However, I with thee have fixed my lot, Certain to undergo like doom. Milton.
3. Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact. The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Dan. ii. 45.
4. Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable. Virtue that directs our ways Through certain dangers to uncertain praise. Dryden. Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. Shak.
5. Unfailing; infallible. I have often wished that I knew as certain a remedy for any other distemper. Mead.
6. Fixed or stated; regular; determinate. The people go out and gather a certain rate every day. Ex. xvi. 4.
7. Not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; -- sometimes used independenty as a noun, and meaning certain persons. It came to pass when he was in a certain city. Luke. v. 12. About everything he wrote there was a certain natural grace und decorum. Macaulay. For certain, assuredly.
– Of a certain, certainly.
Syn.
– Bound; sure; true; undeniable; unquestionable; undoubted; plain; indubitable; indisputable; incontrovertible; unhesitating; undoubting; fixed; stated.
Cer"tain, n.
1. Certainty. [Obs.] Gower.
2. A certain number or quantity. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Cer"tain, adv.
Definition: Certainly. [Obs.] Milton.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
24 December 2024
INTUITIVELY
(adverb) in an intuitive manner; âinventors seem to have chosen intuitively a combination of explosive and aggressive sounds as warning signals to be used on automobilesâ
Coffee Trivia
