Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Refer
Re-fer′
(rē̍-fẽr′)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Referred
(rē̍-fẽrd′)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Referring
.] 1.
To carry or send back.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, information, 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 disturbancesTo 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. Shakespeare
Re-fer′
,Verb.
I.
1.
To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self;
as, to
. refer
to a dictionaryIn 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 footnoteOf 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 thought; to direct attention;
as, the preacher
. referred
to the late election4.
To direct inquiry for information or a guarantee 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.
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 peculiar 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
The earth regard as of that whole a part.
advert
:The earth regard as of that whole a part.
Blackmore.
Webster 1828 Edition
Refer
REFER'
,Verb.
T.
1.
To direct, leave or deliver over to another person or tribunal for information or decision; as when parties to a suit refer their cause to another court; or the court refers a cause to individuals for examination and report. A person whose opinion is requested, sometimes refers the inquirer to another person or other source of information.2.
To reduce as to the ultimate end.You profess and practice to refer all things to yourself.
3.
To reduce; to assign; as to an order, genus or class. Naturalists are sometimes at a loss to know to what class or genus an animal or plant is to be referred.To refer one's self, to betake; to apply. [Little used.]
REFER'
, v.i.1.
To respect; to have relation. Many passages of Scripture refer to the peculiar customs of the orientals.2.
To appeal; to have recourse; to apply.In suits it is good to refer to some friend of trust.
3.
To allude; to have respect to by intimation without naming. I refer to a well known fact.Definition 2024
refer
refer
English
Verb
refer (third-person singular simple present refers, present participle referring, simple past and past participle referred)
- (transitive) To direct the attention of.
- The shop assistant referred me to the help desk on ground floor.
- (transitive) To submit to (another person or group) for consideration; to send or direct elsewhere.
- He referred the matter to the principal.
- to refer a patient to a psychiatrist
- (transitive) 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.
- He referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances.
- (Can we add an example for this sense?) (intransitive, construed with to) To allude to, make a reference or allusion to.
- (grammar) to be referential to another element in a sentence
Synonyms
Derived terms
- refer to
- refer someone to
Translations
to direct to a source for help or information
to submit to an authority figure for consideration
to direct the attention of
to allude to (grammar term)
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