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ascertain

as·cer·tain [ àssər táyn ] (past and past participle as·cer·tained, present participle as·cer·tain·ing, 3rd person present singular as·cer·tains)


transitive and intransitive verb 
Definition:
 
determine something: to find out something with certainty ( formal )

[Late 16th century. < Old French acertain-, stem of acertener< certain (see certain)]

as·cer·tain·a·ble adjective
as·cer·tain·a·bly adverb
as·cer·tain·ment noun
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