ascertain
verb /ˌæsəˈteɪn/
/ˌæsərˈteɪn/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they ascertain | /ˌæsəˈteɪn/ /ˌæsərˈteɪn/ |
| he / she / it ascertains | /ˌæsəˈteɪnz/ /ˌæsərˈteɪnz/ |
| past simple ascertained | /ˌæsəˈteɪnd/ /ˌæsərˈteɪnd/ |
| past participle ascertained | /ˌæsəˈteɪnd/ /ˌæsərˈteɪnd/ |
| -ing form ascertaining | /ˌæsəˈteɪnɪŋ/ /ˌæsərˈteɪnɪŋ/ |
- to find out the true or correct information about something
- ascertain something It can be difficult to ascertain the facts.
- ascertain that… I ascertained that the driver was not badly hurt.
- it is ascertained that… It should be ascertained that the plans comply with the law.
- ascertain what, whether, etc… The police are trying to ascertain what really happened.
- Could you ascertain whether she will be coming to the meeting?
- it is ascertained what, whether, etc… It must be ascertained if the land is still owned by the government.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryAscertain is used with these nouns as the object:- authenticity
- fact
Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘assure, convince’): from Old French acertener, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.