certify
- to attest as certain; give reliable information of; confirm: He certified the truth of his claim.
- to testify to or vouch for in writing: The medical examiner will certify his findings to the court.
- to guarantee; endorse reliably: to certify a document with an official seal.
- to guarantee (a check) by writing on its face that the account against which it is drawn has sufficient funds to pay it.
- to award a certificate to (a person) attesting to the completion of a course of study or the passing of a qualifying examination.
- to declare legally insane and committable to a mental institution.
- Archaic. to assure or inform with certainty.
- to give assurance; testify; vouch for the validity of something (usually followed by to).
Origin of certify
Synonyms for certify
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for certify
authorize, license, confirm, verify, ascertain, notify, endorse, validate, guarantee, approve, accredit, state, attest, authenticate, okay, avow, show, reassure, testify, corroborateExamples from the Web for certify
Contemporary Examples of certify
In order to withhold the photographs, the secretary of defense must certify that photographs could cause harm to Americans.
The FAA will have to certify SpaceShipTwo as airworthy, but there are as yet no protocols in place for that process.
The decision to certify the planes and their sensors has been pending since late last year, long before the Ukraine crisis began.
The first is how the FAA can certify the craft as safe for passenger flight.
Branson’s Galactic Obstacles: Tom Bower Puts a Damper on Virgin’s Space Flight DreamsClive Irving
January 30, 2014
The folks from RecordSetter.com were there, the hosts told the hopeful twerkers, to adjudicate and certify the world record.
Historical Examples of certify
"That he is actually off by the train to London, I can certify," was the reply of Hamish.
The ChanningsMrs. Henry Wood
We could procure that telegram from Port Arthur, and we could get the landlord to certify to his story.
Australia RevengedBoomerang
Should not we cautiously open it, Captain, and certify ourselves what is therein?
Standish of StandishJane G. Austin
I have only to get two doctors to certify to the fact of his insanity, and the deed is done.
A Master of MysteriesL. T. Meade
An invoice of his goods was presented to the agent, who had to certify to its correctness.
Old Fort SnellingMarcus L. Hansen
certify
- to confirm or attest (to), usually in writingthe letter certified her age
- (tr) to endorse or guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)
- to give reliable information or assuranceshe certified that it was Walter's handwriting
- (tr) to declare legally insane
- (tr) US and Canadian (of a bank) to state in writing on (a cheque) that payment is guaranteed
Word Origin for certify
Word Origin and History for certify
mid-14c., "to declare the truth of," also "to vouch for or confirm" (an official record, etc.), from Old French certefiier "make certain, witness the truth of" (12c.), from Late Latin certificare "to certify, to make certain," from Latin certus (see certain) + root of facere "to make, do" (see factitious). Also used in Middle English in broader senses of "inform, give notice; instruct, to direct; to designate." Related: Certified; certifying. Certified public accountant attested from 1896.