The phrase "a certain intent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a specific purpose or aim that is not explicitly defined.
Example: "The contract was drafted with a certain intent to protect the interests of both parties involved."
Alternatives: "a specific purpose" or "a particular aim".
When we issue a query to a search engine, that query has a certain intent associated with it, and the search results page and ads on it try to help us achieve our intent.
Nanigans' Calvillo explained why desktop fans are so valuable especially those from non-news feed ads, "Being a less prominent ad unit, there's a certain intent threshold that may need to be met before a user will engage in the first place".
Lots of people show interest and, to a certain degree intent, regards attending events, but this doesn't always translate into ticket sales.
With episodic usage, we have a certain objective or intent in a situation, which the device or app helps us achieve.
Col. Duffy acknowledges a certain promotional, even missionary intent.
"They've torn the Emhart Building down, which was a tremendous loss, they've desecrated the landscape with this silly golf course, they've started to build housing, they've deluded the integrity of the site and to a certain extent deluded the intent Bunshaft had for the Wilde building.
A certain ambiguity of practical intent is also evident in the text flow of Hagège's book, which to Anglophone readers will seem rather digressive.
There is an easy tendency to say "politics is politics" and that criminal activity requires a certain state of mind or intent to commit a crime.
In their place stand backward looking, establishment figures intent on maintaining a certain religiosity.
"He was intent on maintaining a certain kind of demeanor, a suitable distance between himself and students".
After gestures of solidarity towards Syriza earlier this year, Mr Iglesias is today intent on marking a certain distance.
