The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Notify \No"ti*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Notified; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Notifying.] [F. notifier, L. notificare; notus known (p.
   p. of noscere to known) + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See
   Know, and -fy.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To make known; to declare; to publish; as, to notify a
      fact to a person.
      [1913 Webster]

            No law can bind till it be notified or promulged.
                                                  --Sowth.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To give notice to; to inform by notice; to apprise; as,
      the constable has notified the citizens to meet at the
      city hall; the bell notifies us of the time of meeting.
      [1913 Webster]

            The President of the United States has notified the
            House of Representatives that he has approved and
            signed the act.                       --Journal of
                                                  the Senate, U.
                                                  S.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: This application of notify has been condemned; but it
         is in constant good use in the United States, and in
         perfect accordance with the use of certify.
         [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Certify \Cer"ti*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Certified; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Certifying.] [F. certifier, LL. certificare; L.
   certus certain + facere to make. See Certain, and cf.
   Certificate, v. t.]
   1. To give cetain information to; to assure; to make certain.
      [1913 Webster]

            We certify the king, that . . . thou shalt have no
            portion on this side the river.       --Ezra iv. 16.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To give certain information of; to make certain, as a
      fact; to verify. --Hammond.
      [1913 Webster]

            The industry of science at once certifies and
            greatly extends our knowledge of the vastness of the
            creation.                             --I. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To testify to in writing; to make a declaration
      concerning, in writing, under hand, or hand and seal.
      [1913 Webster]

            The judges shall certify their opinion to the
            chancellor, and upon such certificate the decree is
            usually founded.                      --Blackstone.
      [1913 Webster]

   Certified check, A bank check, the validity of which is
      certified by the bank on which it is drawn.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

certify
    v 1: provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's
         behavior, attitude, or external attributes; "His high fever
         attested to his illness"; "The buildings in Rome manifest a
         high level of architectural sophistication"; "This decision
         demonstrates his sense of fairness" [syn: attest,
         certify, manifest, demonstrate, evidence]
    2: guarantee payment on; of checks
    3: authorize officially; "I am licensed to practice law in this
       state" [syn: license, licence, certify] [ant:
       decertify, derecognise, derecognize]
    4: guarantee as meeting a certain standard; "certified grade AAA
       meat" [syn: certify, endorse, indorse]
    5: declare legally insane