dead cert

English

Etymology

Clipping of dead certainty.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

dead cert (plural dead certs)

1. (informal) A practically guaranteed outcome.

   It's a dead cert that United will beat City in the cup.

   • 1962, Dick Francis, chapter 4, in Dead Cert, published 2004, page 46:

     “Jockeys are bad tipsters. But that one was a cert, a dead cert.” A dead cert. The casual, everyday racing expression jabbed in my mind like a needle.

   • 2020 May 20, Paul Clifton, “A hydrogen solution to decarbonisation?”, in Rail, page 54:

     "Tees Valley is our first target. It's not a dead cert yet, but we are very hopeful.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:sure thing

Anagrams

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