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Exact vs Certain - What's the difference?

exact | certain |

As adjectives the difference between exact and certain

is that exact is precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect while certain is certain.

As a verb exact

is to demand and enforce the payment or performance of.

exact

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.
  • Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • I see thou art exact of taste.
  • * 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
  • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
  • Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • An exact command, / Larded with many several sorts of reason.
  • (algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.
  • Synonyms

    * (precisely agreeing) perfect, true, correct, precise * (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) strict * spot on

    Antonyms

    * (precisely agreeing) inexact, imprecise, approximate * (precisely or definitely conceived or stated) loose

    Derived terms

    * exactly * exactness * exact sequence

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To demand and enforce the payment or performance of.
  • to exact tribute, fees, or obedience
  • * Bible, Luke iii. 13
  • He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
  • To make desirable or necessary.
  • * Massinger
  • My designs exact me in another place.
  • To forcibly obtain or produce.
  • to exact revenge

    Derived terms

    * exactable * exacter * exacting * exactor

    certain

    English

    Adjective

    (wikipedia certain) (en adjective)
  • Sure, positive, not doubting.
  • I was certain of my decision.
  • (obsolete) Determined; resolved.
  • * Milton
  • However, I with thee have fixed my lot, / Certain to undergo like doom.
  • Not to be doubted or denied; established as a fact.
  • * Bible, Dan. ii. 45
  • The dream is certain , and the interpretation thereof sure.
  • Actually existing; sure to happen; inevitable.
  • Bankruptcy is the certain outcome of your constant gambling and lending.
  • * Dryden
  • Virtue that directs our ways / Through certain dangers to uncertain praise.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all.
  • Unfailing; infallible.
  • * Mead
  • I have often wished that I knew as certain a remedy for any other distemper.
  • Fixed or stated; regular; determinate.
  • * Bible, Ex. xvi. 4
  • The people go out and gather a certain rate every day.
  • Not specifically named; indeterminate; indefinite; one or some; sometimes used independently as a noun, and meaning certain persons.
  • * Bible, Luke v. 12
  • It came to pass when he was in a certain city.
  • * Macaulay
  • About everything he wrote there was a certain natural grace and decorum.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * (not doubting) uncertain * (sure to happen) impossible, incidental

    Derived terms

    * certainly

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • Having been determined but unspecified. 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.
  • * Bible, Acts xxiii. 12
  • Certain of the Jews banded together.
  • * , title=The Mirror and the Lamp
  • , chapter=3 citation , passage=One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.”}}

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    Anagrams

    * * 1000 English basic words ----