different between certain vs clear
certain
English
Alternative forms
- certaine (obsolete)
- certeine (archaic)
Etymology
From Middle English certeyn, certein, certain, borrowed from Old French certain, from a Vulgar Latin unattested form *cert?nus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”), of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere (“to separate, perceive, decide”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ?ewiss (“certain, sure”)) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane (“some, certain”)
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?s??tn?/
- (General American) IPA(key): /?s?tn?/
- (Canada) IPA(key): /?s?t?n/, /?s?tn?/
- Rhymes: -??(?)t?n
- Hyphenation: cer?tain
Adjective
certain (comparative more certain, superlative most certain)
- Sure, positive, not doubting.
- I was certain of my decision.
- Spain is now certain of a place in the finals.
- (obsolete) Determined; resolved.
- Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
- Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.
- Bankruptcy is the certain outcome of your constant gambling and lending.
- Unfailing; infallible.
- 1702, Richard Mead, Mechanical Account of Poisons
- I have often wished , that I knew so certain a remedy in any other disease
- Fixed or stated; regular; determinate.
- The people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day.
- Known but not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; sometimes used independently as a noun, and meaning certain persons; see also "one".
- It came to pass when he was in a certain city.
Synonyms
- (not doubting): See also Thesaurus:certain
- (sure to happen): unavoidable; See also Thesaurus:inevitable
Antonyms
- (not doubting): uncertain
- (sure to happen): impossible, incidental
- (known but not named): particular specific
Derived terms
- certainly (adv)
Related terms
- certainty (n)
Translations
Determiner
certain
- Having been determined but not specified. The quality of some particular subject or object which is known by the speaker to have been specifically singled out among similar entities of its class.
Translations
Pronoun
certain
- (with of) Unnamed or undescribed members (of).
- She mentioned a series of contracts, of which certain are not cited
- 1611, Bible (King James Version), Acts xxiii. 12
- Certain of the Jews banded together.
Synonyms
- (unnamed or undescribed members (of)): some
Noun
certain pl (plural only)
- (with "the") Something certain.
Further reading
- certain at OneLook Dictionary Search
- certain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- certain in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- Cretian, ant rice, anticer, cantier, ceratin, citrean, creatin, crinate, nacrite, tacrine, tercian
French
Etymology
From Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin unattested form *cert?nus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /s??.t??/
Adjective
certain (feminine singular certaine, masculine plural certains, feminine plural certaines)
- certain (sure, positive)
- Il est certain qu'il viendra.
- It is certain that he will arrive.
- Il est certain qu'il viendra.
- certain (fixed, determined)
- certain (specified, particular)
Derived terms
Noun
certain m (plural certains)
- certain; certainty
Determiner
certain
- certain: a determined but unspecified amount of ; some
- Certaines personnes vont aller.
- Some people are going.
- Certaines personnes vont aller.
Related terms
- certainement
- certitude
- incertain
Further reading
- “certain” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Anagrams
- carient, centrai, cernait, crainte, criante, écriant, encirât, encrait
Old French
Alternative forms
- (Picard dialect) chertain
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *cert?nus, from Latin certus. Compare Old Italian and Old Spanish certano.
Adjective
certain m (oblique and nominative feminine singular certaine)
- certain; sure
Declension
Synonyms
- seur
Related terms
- cert
Descendants
- ? Middle English: certeyn
- English: certain
- French: certain
certain From the web:
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clear
English
Alternative forms
- CLR (contraction used in electronics)
Etymology
From Middle English clere, from Anglo-Norman cler, from Old French cler (Modern French clair), from Latin clarus. Displaced native Middle English schir (“clear, pure”) (from Old English sc?r (“clear, bright”)), Middle English skere (“clear, sheer”) (from Old English sc?re and Old Norse sk?r (“sheer, clear, pure”)), Middle English smolt (“clear (of mind), serene”) (from Old English smolt (“peaceful, serene”)). Cognate with Danish klar, Dutch klaar, French clair, German klar, Italian chiaro, Norwegian klar, Portuguese claro, Romanian clar, Spanish claro, and Swedish klar.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /kl??(?)/
- (General American) IPA(key): /kl??/
- Rhymes: -??(r)
Adjective
clear (comparative clearer, superlative clearest)
- Transparent in colour.
- Bright, not dark or obscured.
- Free of obstacles.
- Without clouds.
- Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumn morning had no terrors for youth and health like hers.
- (meteorology) Of the sky, such that less than one eighth of its area is obscured by clouds.
- Free of ambiguity or doubt.
- Distinct, sharp, well-marked.
- Synonym: conspicuous
- (figuratively) Free of guilt, or suspicion.
- (of a soup) Without a thickening ingredient.
- Possessing little or no perceptible stimulus.
- (Scientology) Free from the influence of engrams; see Clear (Scientology).
- 1971, Leonard Cohen, "Famous Blue Raincoat":
- Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair. She said that you gave it to her that night that you planned to go clear. Did you ever go clear?
- 1971, Leonard Cohen, "Famous Blue Raincoat":
- Able to perceive clearly; keen; acute; penetrating; discriminating.
- Not clouded with passion; serene; cheerful.
- with a countenance as clear / As friendship wears at feasts
- Easily or distinctly heard; audible.
- c. 1708, Alexander Pope “Ode On St. Cecilia's Day”:
- Hark! the numbers, soft and clear / Gently steal upon the ear
- c. 1708, Alexander Pope “Ode On St. Cecilia's Day”:
- Unmixed; entirely pure.
- Without defects or blemishes, such as freckles or knots.
- Without diminution; in full; net.
- 1728, Jonathan Swift “Horace, Lib. 2, Sat. 6”:
- I often wished that I had clear / For life, six hundred pounds a year
- 1728, Jonathan Swift “Horace, Lib. 2, Sat. 6”:
Synonyms
- (transparency): pellucid, transparent; See also Thesaurus:transparent
- (free of ambiguity or doubt): See also Thesaurus:comprehensible of Thesaurus:explicit
- (distinct): See also Thesaurus:distinct
- (easily or distinctly heard): See also Thesaurus:audible
- (unmixed): homogeneous
Antonyms
- (transparency): opaque, turbid
- (bright): See also Thesaurus:dark
- (without clouds): cloudy, nebulous; See also Thesaurus:nebulous
- (free of ambiguity or doubt): See also Thesaurus:incomprehensible and Thesaurus:confusing
- (of a soup): thick
- obscure
Hyponyms
- crystal clear
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Adverb
clear (not comparable)
- All the way; entirely.
- I threw it clear across the river to the other side.
- Not near something or touching it.
- Stand clear of the rails, a train is coming.
- free (or separate) from others
- (obsolete) In a clear manner; plainly.
Translations
Verb
clear (third-person singular simple present clears, present participle clearing, simple past and past participle cleared)
- (transitive) To remove obstructions, impediments or other unwanted items from.
- Police took two hours to clear the road.
- If you clear the table, I'll wash up.
- “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, […].
- 1715–8, Matthew Prior, “Alma: or, The Progre?s of the Mind” in Poems on Several Occa?ions (1741), canto III, p.297:
- Faith, Dick, I mu?t confe?s, ?tis true // (But this is only Entre Nous) // That many knotty Points there are, // Which All di?cu?s, but Few can clear.
- (transitive) To remove (items or material) so as to leave something unobstructed or open.
- Please clear all this stuff off the table.
- The loggers came and cleared the trees.
- 1711 November 6, Joseph Addison, The Spectator No. 215:
- […] Aristotle has brought to explain his Doctrine of Substantial Forms, when he tells us that a Statue lies hid in a Block of Marble; and that the Art of the statuary only clears away the superfluous Matter, and removes the Rubbish.
- (intransitive) To leave abruptly; to clear off or clear out.
- (intransitive) To become free from obstruction or obscurement; to become transparent.
- (transitive) To eliminate ambiguity or doubt from (a matter); to clarify or resolve; to clear up.
- (transitive) To remove from suspicion, especially of having committed a crime.
- 1713, Joseph Addison, Cato, a Tragedy, Act III, scene v:
- How! Wouldst thou clear rebellion?
- 1713, Joseph Addison, Cato, a Tragedy, Act III, scene v:
- (transitive) To pass without interference; to miss.
- (transitive, activities such as jumping or throwing) To exceed a stated mark.
- (transitive, video games) To finish or complete (a stage, challenge, or game).
- I cleared the first level in 36 seconds.
- (intransitive) Of a check or financial transaction, to go through as payment; to be processed so that the money is transferred.
- (transitive, business) To earn a profit of; to net.
- (transitive) To approve or authorise for a particular purpose or action; to give clearance to.
- (transitive) To obtain approval or authorisation in respect of.
- (intransitive) To obtain a clearance.
- (transitive) To obtain permission to use (a sample of copyrighted audio) in another track.
- To disengage oneself from incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free.
- 1613, Francis Bacon, The E??aies (second edition), essay 18: “Of Expences”:
- Be?ides, he that cleares at once will relap?e: for finding him?elfe out of ?traights, he will reuert to his cu?tomes. But hee that cleareth by degrees, induceth an habite of frugality, and gaineth as well vpon his minde, as vpon his E?tate.
- 1613, Francis Bacon, The E??aies (second edition), essay 18: “Of Expences”:
- (transitive, intransitive, sports) To hit, kick, head, punch etc. (a ball, puck) away in order to defend one's goal.
- (transitive, computing) To reset or unset; to return to an empty state or to zero.
- (transitive, computing) To style (an element within a document) so that it is not permitted to float at a given position.
Synonyms
- (clear a forest): stub
Derived terms
- clear away
- clear off
- clear out
- clear up
- clearance
- clearing
Translations
Noun
clear (plural clears)
- (carpentry) Full extent; distance between extreme limits; especially; the distance between the nearest surfaces of two bodies, or the space between walls.
- a room ten feet square in the clear
- (video games) The completion of a stage or challenge, or of the whole game.
- It took me weeks to achieve a one-credit clear (1CC).
- (Scientology) A person who is free from the influence of engrams.
- 1985, Rodney Stark, William Sims Bainbridge, The Future of Religion (page 269)
- Today, clear status can be conferred only by high ranking ministers of the church, and clears are not presented for examination by outsiders.
- 1985, Rodney Stark, William Sims Bainbridge, The Future of Religion (page 269)
References
- clear at OneLook Dictionary Search
- clear in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- 'clare, Carle, Clare, carle, lacer, recal
clear From the web:
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- what clears acne scars
- what clears dark spots
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