refer

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: rī-fû, IPA ^(key): /rɪˈfɜː/
• (US) enPR: rī-fûr, IPA ^(key): /rɪˈfɝ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: re‧fer

Verb

Plain form refer

Third-person singular refers

Past tense referred

Past participle referred

Present participle referring

1. (transitive) If you refer to something, you talk or write about it, usually in passing.

   The teacher referred to some research, but I didn't know what he meant.

   The media refers to the war as "the troubles".

   He referred to her only by her first name.

2. (intransitive) If you refer to a book or other source of information, you check it.

   You should refer to the dictionary to find the meaning.

3. (intransitive) If $x$ refers to $y$, $x$ is about $y$.

   The numbers refer to last year's sales.

4. (transitive) If you refer $x$ to $y$, you send $x$ to $y$ for help or to be dealt with.

   He referred me to the science department.

Synonyms

• mention

Related words

• referral
• referent
• reference
• referential