'Refer' definitions:

Definition of 'refer'

From: WordNet
verb
Make reference to; "His name was mentioned in connection with the invention" [syn: mention, advert, bring up, cite, name, refer]
verb
Be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments" [syn: refer, pertain, relate, concern, come to, bear on, touch, touch on, have-to doe with]
verb
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"
verb
Send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision; "refer a patient to a specialist"; "refer a bill to a committee"
verb
Seek information from; "You should consult the dictionary"; "refer to your notes" [syn: consult, refer, look up]
verb
Have as a meaning; "`multi-' denotes `many' " [syn: denote, refer]
verb
Use a name to designate; "Christians refer to the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary"

Definition of 'Refer'

From: GCIDE
  • Refer \Re*fer"\, v. i.
  • 1. To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self; as, to refer to a dictionary. [1913 Webster]
  • In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of trust. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as, the figure refers to a footnote. [1913 Webster]
  • Of those places that refer to the shutting and opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job. --Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To carry the mind or thought; to direct attention; as, the preacher referred to the late election. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Now to the universal whole advert: The earth regard as of that whole a part. --Blackmore. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Refer'

From: GCIDE
  • Refer \Re*fer"\ (r[-e]*f[~e]r"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Referred (r[-e]*f[~e]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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • To refer one's self, to have recourse; to betake one's self; to make application; to appeal. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • I'll refer me to all things sense. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'refer'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Refer'