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refer |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: refer v 1: make reference to: "His name was mentioned in connection with the invention" [syn: {mention}, {advert}, {bring up}, {cite}, {name}] 2: be about have to do with be relevant to refer, pertain, or relate to "What's this novel all about?"; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk" [syn: {pertain}, {relate}, {concern}, {come to}, {bear on}, {touch}, {touch on}] 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}, {look up}] 6: have as a meaning; " `multi-' denotes `many' " [syn: {denote}]
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