reference
an act or instance of referring.
a mention; allusion.
something for which a name or designation stands; denotation.
a direction in a book or writing to some other book, passage, etc.
a book, passage, etc., to which one is directed.
material contained in a footnote or bibliography, or referred to by a reference mark.
use or recourse for purposes of information: a library for public reference.
a book or other source of useful facts or information, such as an encyclopedia, dictionary, etc.
a person to whom one refers for testimony as to one's character, abilities, etc.
a statement, usually written, as to a person's character, abilities, etc.
relation, regard, or respect: all persons, without reference to age.
to furnish (a book, dissertation, etc.) with references: Each new volume is thoroughly referenced.
to arrange (notes, data, etc.) for easy reference: Statistical data is referenced in the glossary.
to refer to: to reference a file.
Origin of reference
1Other words for reference
Other words from reference
- mis·ref·er·ence, noun
- non·ref·er·ence, noun
- pre·ref·er·ence, noun
- sub·ref·er·ence, noun
- un·ref·er·enced, adjective
Words that may be confused with reference
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use reference in a sentence
We don’t ask you any information about your feet, or to use a reference object.
Xesto is a foot scanning app that simplifies shoe gifting | Natasha Lomas | November 20, 2020 | TechCrunchIf such references suggest quaint nostalgia, that’s not all that flourishes in Wolfe’s dreamfields.
In the galleries: The Washington colorists and the CIA | Mark Jenkins | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostFollowing Mach’s lead, Einstein wanted to assert that motion was not defined by reference to absolute space, but only relative to other motion.
When Einstein Tilted at Windmills - Issue 93: Forerunners | Amanda Gefter | November 18, 2020 | NautilusZamir said that Nana was named after his mother, who raised David as a single parent after his father passed away, a reference to working hard and being practical.
Nana nabs $6M for an online academy and marketplace dedicated to appliance repair | Ingrid Lunden | November 12, 2020 | TechCrunchPavón’s images include explicit references to the pandemic, but always combined with other themes.
For this artist and his girlfriend, life in lockdown became a creative opportunity | Mark Jenkins | November 12, 2020 | Washington Post
“I like decorating my slaves,” she said, referencing the rope, her thin, crimson-coated lips peeling off her front teeth.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau | Ian Frisch | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA business partner mentioned a failed phone call, also referencing the mysterious Krystal.
I think all of us who are impacted by it have been referencing it in one way or another for years in our work.
‘Phineas and Ferb’ Pilot Disney’s Premier Voyage into ‘Star Wars’ | Jason Lynch | July 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIts name roughly translates to “pig pear,” referencing the only animals contented to eat it.
What to Drink When it’s Cold? The Glory of Austrian Schnaps | Jordan Salcito | January 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe was referencing the only Village folk club with a liquor license in those days.
Fact Vs. Fiction in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’: The Real Story of Folk is Far Less Dejected Than the Movie | Jimmy So | December 4, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThis group of small illustrations were printed with numbers referencing printers names, like the larger group on page 25.
Printers' Marks | William RobertsIt is necessary, therefore, to leave to the judgment of the classifier the propriety of cross-referencing unclaimed disclosures.
The Classification of Patents | United States Patent OfficePage 312—there were two entries for Iphitus (one referencing p. 192 and incorrectly located before the entry for Ino).
The Student's Mythology | Catherine Ann WhiteFootnotes with alphabetic tags now generally follow the referencing paragraph.
The Gunpowder Plot and Lord Mounteagle's Letter | Henry Hawkes Spink Jr.Thus cross-referencing should normally be downward in a schedule of subclasses.
The Classification of Patents | United States Patent Office
British Dictionary definitions for reference
/ (ˈrɛfərəns, ˈrɛfrəns) /
the act or an instance of referring
something referred, esp proceedings submitted to a referee in law
a direction of the attention to a passage elsewhere or to another book, document, etc
a book or passage referred to
a mention or allusion: this book contains several references to the Civil War
philosophy
the relation between a word, phrase, or symbol and the object or idea to which it refers
the object referred to by an expression: Compare sense (def. 12)
a source of information or facts
(as modifier): a reference book; a reference library
a written testimonial regarding one's character or capabilities
a person referred to for such a testimonial
(foll by to) relation or delimitation, esp to or by membership of a specific class or group; respect or regard: all people, without reference to sex or age
(as modifier): a reference group
point of reference a fact forming the basis of an evaluation or assessment; criterion
terms of reference the specific limits of responsibility that determine the activities of an investigating body, etc
to furnish or compile a list of references for (an academic thesis, publication, etc)
to make a reference to; refer to: he referenced Chomsky, 1956
commerce with reference to: reference your letter of the 9th inst Abbreviation: re
Derived forms of reference
- referencer, noun
- referential (ˌrɛfəˈrɛnʃəl), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with reference
see in regard (reference) to.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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