ref English · revision 14906

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1890}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ref/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a clipping of [[referee]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A referee: 1890 in Merriam-Webster, 1899 in Etymonline and the OED.^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to act as referee, is from 1929.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1890 – a referee.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1929 – to ref (verb).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(informal)'' A referee.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(informal)'' To referee a game or match.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[referee]]

+ * [[refer]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Ref is also short for [[reference]] (1901),^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) and an obsolete Scots ref was a variant of reif, plunder.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}