Definition

1. Verb (Transitive):

   • To direct someone or something to a different person or place for information, help, action, or a decision.
   • To mention or allude to someone or something.
   • To classify or regard something as belonging to a particular category or relating to a specific thing.

2. Verb (Intransitive):

   • To look at or consult a source of information.
   • To be relevant or relate to a particular subject or person.
   • To mention or speak about someone or something.

Usage

• Transitive Verb (to direct):

  • The doctor will refer the patient to a specialist.
  • Please refer all technical questions to the support team.

• Transitive Verb (to mention):

  • She referred to our earlier agreement during the meeting.
  • He referred his success to the support of his family.

• Intransitive Verb (to consult):

  • For the exact definition, refer to the dictionary.
  • I had to refer to my notes to answer the question.

• Intransitive Verb (to be relevant):

  • The new policy refers only to full-time employees.
  • These statistics refer to the previous fiscal year.

Advanced Usage

• "refer to as": to call someone or something by a particular name or title.

  • This condition is often referred to as "seasonal affective disorder".

• "referred pain": (Medical term) pain felt in a part of the body other than its actual source.

  • A heart attack can cause referred pain in the left arm.

Variants and Related Words

• Reference (n): The act of referring to something or a source of information.

  • This book is an excellent reference for grammar rules.

• Referral (n): The act of sending someone to an expert or specialist, or the person who is sent.

  • I need a referral from my doctor to see the cardiologist.

• Referent (n): The specific thing that a word or phrase denotes or stands for.

  • In the sentence "The cat is sleeping," the referent of "the cat" is the actual animal.

Synonyms

• Allude to: To mention indirectly.
• Consult: To seek information or advice from.
• Direct: To send or route to a specific person or place.
• Pertain to: To be relevant or related to.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Refer back to: To return a matter to someone for further consideration or to consult something again.
  • The committee referred the proposal back to the subcommittee for revision.
  • Let me refer back to my earlier point.

Related Idioms

• Cross-refer: To refer from one part of a book, index, etc., to another.

  • The textbook cross-refers the reader to the glossary for definitions.

• For future reference: For use or consultation at a later time.

  • Keep this manual for future reference.

Verb

1. use a name to designate
   • Christians refer to the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary
2. have as a meaning
   • `multi-' denotes `many'
3. seek information from
   • You should consult the dictionary
   • refer to your notes
4. send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision
   • refer a patient to a specialist
   • refer a bill to a committee
5. 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
6. be relevant to
   • There were lots of questions referring to her talk
   • My remark pertained to your earlier comments
7. make reference to
   • His name was mentioned in connection with the invention