refer English · revision 5146

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1374|origins=la referre}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /rɪˈfɜː/, /rəˈfɜː/, US /rɪˈfɝː/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|referren]], [[bor|fro|referer]] and directly from [[la|referre|t=to carry back]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from re- “back” and ferre “to carry”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*bʰer-|alt=*bher-|t=to carry]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[reference]], [[referee]], [[referendum]], [[confer]] and [[bear]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To trace back, attribute or assign something to a person or cause: about 1374 in the OED, about 1380 in Chaucer's Boethius in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To assign to a class is also from about 1374.^(OED 1989) To commit a matter to an authority for decision is from the mid-15th century,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and to direct someone to a book or person for information from about 1600.^(Etymonline) To allude to, have relation to, is from the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986) ''Reference'' is from the 16th century,^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) ''referee'' from the mid-16th century, not used in sport until the mid-19th,^(Cresswell 2021) and ''referendum'' from the 19th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1374 – to attribute.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-15th century – to commit to an authority.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – to direct to a source.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To mention or speak about someone or something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To send someone to another person or place for help or information.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To look at a book or source for information: ''refer to a dictionary''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To relate or apply to something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To pass a matter to an authority for a decision.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To [[attribute]] something to a cause or source.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[referable]]

+ * [[referral]]

+ * [[referrer]]

+ * [[misrefer]]

+ * [[referee]]

+ * [[referent]]

+ * [[cross-refer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[reference]]

+ * [[relate]]

+ * [[relative]]

+ * [[relation]]

+ * [[relationship]]

+ * [[referendum]]

+ * [[confer]]

+ * [[defer]]

+ * [[bear]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}