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7 dictionary results for: refer

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

re·fer

[ri-fur] Pronunciation Key verb, -ferred, -fer·ring.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to direct for information or anything required: He referred me to books on astrology.

2.	to direct the attention or thoughts of: The asterisk refers the reader to a footnote.

3.	to hand over or submit for information, consideration, decision, etc.: to refer the argument to arbitration.

4.	to assign to a class, period, etc.; regard as belonging or related.

5.	to have relation; relate; apply.

–verb (used without object)

6.	to direct attention, as a reference mark does.

7.	to have recourse or resort; turn, as for aid or information: to refer to one's notes.

8.	to make reference or allusion: The author referred to his teachers twice in his article.

[Origin: 1325–75; ME referren < L referre to bring back, equiv. to re- re- + ferre to bring, bear¹

]

—Related forms

ref·er·a·ble, re·fer·ra·ble, re·fer·ri·ble

[ref-er-uh-buh

l, ri-fur-] Pronunciation Key, adjective

re·fer·rer, noun

—Synonyms 4. attribute, ascribe, impute. 5. pertain, belong. 8. advert, allude.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

re·fer   (rĭ-fûr') Pronunciation Key
v.   re·ferred, re·fer·ring, re·fers

v.   tr.

To direct to a source for help or information: referred her to a heart specialist; referred me to his last employer for a recommendation.
To assign or attribute to; regard as originated by.
To assign to or regard as belonging within a particular kind or class.
To submit (a matter in dispute) to an authority for arbitration, decision, or examination.
To direct the attention of: refer him to his duties.

v. intr.

To pertain; concern: questions referring to yesterday's lecture.
To make mention or reference.
To have recourse; turn: refer to a dictionary.

[Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre : re-, re- + ferre, to carry; see bher-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

ref'er·a·ble (rěf'ər-ə-bəl, rĭ-fûr'-) adj., re·fer'ral n., re·fer'rer n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to call or direct attention to something: referred to my indiscretion; adverting to childhood experiences; often mentions his old friend. See Also Synonyms at attribute, resort.

Usage Note: It is sometimes believed that the phrase refer back is redundant, since the prefix re- means "back," but the objection is misplaced. In fact, an expression can refer either to something that has already been mentioned or to something that is yet to be mentioned, and the distinction between refer back and refer ahead may thus be required for clarification. For example, the sentence Jones promised that if he was elected to the council, Harris would be made the council president is ambiguous, because the pronoun he may either refer back or refer ahead. See Usage Notes at allude, redundancy.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
refer

c.1374, "to trace back, attribute, assign," from O.Fr. referer (14c.), from L. referre "to relate, refer," lit. "to carry back," from re- "back" + ferre "carry" (see infer). Meaning "to commit to some authority for a decision" is from 1456; sense of "to direct (someone) to a book, etc." is from 1601. Referral "act of referring" is first recorded 1934; specific sense of "an act of referring an individual to a specialist" is from 1955.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

refer
verb
1.	make reference to; "His name was mentioned in connection with the invention" [syn: mention]
2.	be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments"
3.	think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another; "This plant can be referred to a known species"
4.	send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision; "refer a patient to a specialist"; "refer a bill to a committee"
5.	seek information from; "You should consult the dictionary"; "refer to your notes" [syn: consult]
6.	have as a meaning; "'multi-' denotes 'many' " [syn: denote]
7.	use a name to designate; "Christians refer to the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary"

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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: re·fer
Pronunciation: ri-'f&r
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: re·ferred; re·fer·ring
: to send or direct for treatment, aid, service, information, or decision <referred the debtor to an attorney with expertise in bankruptcy>; specifically : COMMIT 1c

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Refer

Re*fer"\ (r?*f?r"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Referred (-f?rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Referring.] [F. r['e]f['e]rer, L. referre; pref. re- re- + ferre to bear. See Bear to carry.]

1. To carry or send back. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

2. Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, infirmation, decision, etc.; to make over, or pass over, to another; as, to refer a student to an author; to refer a beggar to an officer; to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a question of law to a superior tribunal.

3. To place in or under by a mental or rational process; to assign to, as a class, a cause, source, a motive, reason, or ground of explanation; as, he referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances.

To refer one's self, to have recourse; to betake one's self; to make application; to appeal. [Obs.]

I'll refer me to all things sense. --Shak.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Refer

Re*fer"\, v. i. 1. To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self; as, to refer to a dictionary.

In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of trust. --Bacon.

2. To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as, the figure refers to a footnote.

Of those places that refer to the shutting and opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job. --Bp. Burnet.

3. To carry the mind or throught; to direct attention; as, the preacher referrd to the late election.

4. To direct inquiry for information or a quarantes of any kind, as in respect to one's integrity, capacity, pecuniary ability, and the like; as, I referred to his employer for the truth of his story.

Syn: To allude; advert; suggest; appeal.

Usage: Refer, Allude, Advert. We refer to a thing by specifically and distinctly introducing it into our discourse. We allude to it by introducing it indirectly or indefinitely, as by something collaterally allied to it. We advert to it by turning off somewhat abruptly to consider it more at large. Thus, Macaulay refers to the early condition of England at the opening of his history; he alludes to these statements from time to time; and adverts, in the progress of his work, to various circumstances of pecullar interest, on which for a time he dwells. "But to do good is . . . that that Solomon chiefly refers to in the text." --Sharp. "This, I doubt not, was that artificial structure here alluded to." --T. Burnet.

Now to the universal whole advert: The earth regard as of that whole a part. --Blackmore.

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