certn.
/səːt/, U.S. /sərt/ slang.
A certainty (esp. in a dead cert); spec. in horse racing, a horse that is considered certain to win.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [noun] > horse by performance
lightweight1773
sticker1779
maiden1807
favourite1813
mile-horse1829
outsider1836
heavyweight1857
stayer1862
stoner1862
rank outsider1869
pick1872
pot1874
timer1881
resurrectionist1883
short head1883
pea1888
cert1889
stiffa1890
wrong 'un1889
on the mark1890
place horse1890
top-weight1892
miler1894
also-ran1895
selection1901
loser1902
hotpot1904
roughie1908
co-favourite1922
readier1922
springer1922
fav1935
scratch1938
no-hoper1943
shoo-in1950
scorer1974
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by purpose used for > [noun] > racehorse > favourite
good thing1735
favourite1813
pea1888
cert1889
selection1901
nap1926
nap selection1927
stickout1930
shoo-in1950
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [noun] > something easily done or acquired
sure card?1562
sure thing1836
open-and-shut1841
cinch1888
cert1889
snipa1890
pinch1897
lead-pipe1898
sitter1898
stone ginger1936
slam dunk1984
1889 Man of World 29 June 3/2 Love-in-Idleness is bound to take the Rous Memorial, and I hear Pioneer is a cert. for the St. James's.
1892 G. Grossmith & W. Grossmith Diary of Nobody xiv. 185 It is not speculation, it's a dead cert.
1894 Westm. Gaz. 10 Aug. 8/2 ‘Special snips’, ‘paddock wires’, and other forms of what the advertisers, with unintentional humour, describe as ‘certs’.
1899 T. M. Ellis Three Cat's-eye Rings 32 Tatwood, you know—the trainer—he tips me all the certs.
1904 E. Nesbit Phoenix & Carpet vii. 128 Aunt Emma would be out to a dead cert.
1906 E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands i. 8 This is somethin' er cut above you, for er cert.
1921 A. Graham Voy. Home xxi Honiton has admitted the whole thing to Miss Upton, so it's a cert.
1927 S. Kaye-Smith in Sunday Express 11 Sept. 9 They had guessed for a cert where he was.
1936 W. H. Auden & C. Isherwood Ascent of F6 ii. 73 We'll be able to start tomorrow for a cert.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
† certadv.
Obsolete.
1. Certainly, certes, of a truth.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [adverb] > assuredly, indeed
soothlyc825
forsoothc888
wiselyc888
sooth to sayOE
i-wislichec1000
to (‥) soothOE
iwis?c1160
certesa1250
without missa1275
i-witterlic1275
trulyc1275
aplight1297
certc1300
in (good) fayc1300
verily1303
certain1330
in truthc1330
to tell (also speak, say) the truthc1330
certainlya1375
faithlya1375
in faitha1375
surelya1375
in sooth1390
in trothc1390
in good faitha1393
to witc1400
faithfullyc1405
soothly to sayc1405
all righta1413
sad?a1425
in certc1440
wella1470
truec1480
to say (the) truth1484
of a truth1494
of (a) trotha1500
for a truth?1532
in (of) verity1533
of verityc1550
really1561
for, in, or into very?1565
indeed1583
really and truly1600
indeed and indeed1673
right enough1761
deed1816
just1838
of a verity1850
sho1893
though1905
verdad1928
sholy1929
ja-nee1937
only1975
deffo1996
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > making certain, assurance > [adverb]
iwis?c1160
sickerlyc1175
wisc1175
wislyc1200
i-witterlic1275
sickerc1275
certc1300
hardilyc1300
hardlya1325
certain1330
tristilya1350
certainlya1375
redelya1375
redilya1375
surelyc1380
hand in handa1382
righta1393
assuredlya1400
surea1400
naturallyc1425
in certc1440
ascertainly1477
soverly1513
perqueer1568
really1604
assurelya1626
just1687
pos1710
besure1743
verdad1928
c1300 K. Alis. 5803 So hy ben delited in that art That wery ne ben hy neuere, cert.
c1330 Arth. & Merl. 3569 Thir while the knightes cert Were y-went into desert.
2. Phrase. in cert: of a certainty, in truth.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [adverb] > assuredly, indeed
soothlyc825
forsoothc888
wiselyc888
sooth to sayOE
i-wislichec1000
to (‥) soothOE
iwis?c1160
certesa1250
without missa1275
i-witterlic1275
trulyc1275
aplight1297
certc1300
in (good) fayc1300
verily1303
certain1330
in truthc1330
to tell (also speak, say) the truthc1330
certainlya1375
faithlya1375
in faitha1375
surelya1375
in sooth1390
in trothc1390
in good faitha1393
to witc1400
faithfullyc1405
soothly to sayc1405
all righta1413
sad?a1425
in certc1440
wella1470
truec1480
to say (the) truth1484
of a truth1494
of (a) trotha1500
for a truth?1532
in (of) verity1533
of verityc1550
really1561
for, in, or into very?1565
indeed1583
really and truly1600
indeed and indeed1673
right enough1761
deed1816
just1838
of a verity1850
sho1893
though1905
verdad1928
sholy1929
ja-nee1937
only1975
deffo1996
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > making certain, assurance > [adverb]
iwis?c1160
sickerlyc1175
wisc1175
wislyc1200
i-witterlic1275
sickerc1275
certc1300
hardilyc1300
hardlya1325
certain1330
tristilya1350
certainlya1375
redelya1375
redilya1375
surelyc1380
hand in handa1382
righta1393
assuredlya1400
surea1400
naturallyc1425
in certc1440
ascertainly1477
soverly1513
perqueer1568
really1604
assurelya1626
just1687
pos1710
besure1743
verdad1928
c1440 Launfal 297 I dar well say yn sert.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
<
n.1889
adv.c1300