- [uncountable]
the state of being certain 确信;确实;确定性 There is no certainty that the president's removal would end the civil war. 总统下台是否会结束内战现在还很难说。 I can't say with any certainty where I'll be next week. 我根本说不准我下周会在什么地方。
Extra ExamplesTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintyb2There seems to be a lack of certainty over what we should do. 看来我们应该做什么还无法确定。 It's difficult to predict with any degree of certainty how much it will cost. 要花多少钱很难作出任何确切的预测。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- complete
- near
- …
- degree
- with certainty
- a lack of certainty
- the one certainty
- the only certainty
- …
- [countable]
a thing that is certain see also racing certainty确实的事;必然的事 Extra ExamplesTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc1It's a virtual certainty that essential foodstuffs will go up in price. 几乎可以肯定基本食品的价格将会上涨。 The one certainty left in a changing world is death. 在不断变化的世界中唯一不变的就是死亡。 As we start the new millennium the only certainty is change, and lots of it. 当我们开始新的千年时,唯一确定的是变化,而且是很多变化。 The end of the Cold War marked the collapse of many old political certainties. 冷战结束标志着许多旧的政治环境下必然发生的事从此消亡。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- complete
- near
- …
- degree
- with certainty
- a lack of certainty
- the one certainty
- the only certainty
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French certainete, from certain, based on Latin certus ‘settled, sure’.