different between ascertain vs surmise

English

Etymology

From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æs??te?n/
• (US) enPR: ?s'-?r-t?n?, IPA^(key): /?æs??te?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n
• Hyphenation: as?cer?tain

Verb

ascertain (third-person singular simple present ascertains, present participle ascertaining, simple past and past participle ascertained)

1. To find out definitely; to discover or establish.

   Synonyms: determine, discover, establish, find out, learn, work out
2. (obsolete) To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform.
3. (archaic) To establish, to prove.
4. (archaic) To ensure or effect.

Derived terms

• ascertainable
• ascertainedly
• ascertainment

Translations

Anagrams

• Cartesian, arsacetin, cartesian, craniates, intracase, sectarian

English

Etymology

From Old French surmis, past participle of surmetre, surmettre (“to accuse”), from sur- (“upon”) + metre (“to put”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s???ma?z/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /s??ma?z/
• Hyphenation: sur?mise

Noun

surmise (countable and uncountable, plural surmises)

1. Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
2. Reflection; thought; posit.

Translations

Verb

surmise (third-person singular simple present surmises, present participle surmising, simple past and past participle surmised)

1. To imagine or suspect; to conjecture; to posit with contestable premises.

Translations

Further reading

• surmise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• surmise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• misuser

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sy?.miz/
• Homophones: surmisent, surmises

Verb

surmise

1. first-person singular present indicative of surmiser
2. third-person singular present indicative of surmiser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of surmiser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of surmiser
5. second-person singular imperative of surmiser

Anagrams

• mûrisse