refer

Send for consultation

The verb refer, when transitive, usually directs a person to someone or something: The receptionist referred me to the bursar’s office. The numbers in the book refer you to footnotes.

Without an object, refer also directs attention: The author refers to the work of her colleagues. He referred to his notes several times while he was speaking.

direct

point

Exact location or meaning

indicateSignal or point to
sendCause to arrive elsewhere
guideLeader or instruction book

transfer · pass · forward · handoff · redirect · route · channel · steer · recommend · consign

mention

allude

Refer indirectly

hintIndirect suggestion
implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence
innuendoOblique disparaging remark

suggestion · touch · bring up · note · invoke · evoke · name · acknowledge · nod · intimate

cite

citation

Mention of a source

sourcePoint of origin
footnoteCitation at page bottom
endnoteBack-of-book citation

bibliography · quotation · APA · MLA · Chicago · Harvard · scholarly · academic · journal · ibid

consult

check

Order to pay

look upSeek information about
turn toSeek assistance from
accessRight to enter

review · examine · research · browse · search · query · database · manual · dictionary · handbook

relate

pertain

Be relevant to

concernTroubled interest in something
applyPut into operation
connectJoin or link

involve · associate · correlate · regard · bear on · relevant · applicable · germane · apropos · touching

Categories

medical verbsdiagnose, treat, prescribe, cure, heal
newspapersnewspaper, headlines, headline, news, articles
Palindromesmom, dad, pop, noon, level
online actionsposting, click, commenting, tap, replying
Congresssenator, representative, senators, House, bill
re- wordsredo, repeat, replay, restart, retry

Opposites

direction of handling

Keep possession of

keep · hold · take on · tackle · stop

mentioning or citing

Refuse to notice

omit · disregard · overlook · suppress · pass over

consulting sources

referguess

Estimate without certainty

assume · improvise · wing it · speculate

Phrases

refer toDirect to for information
points of referenceStandards for comparison or orientation
reference guideInformational consultation resource
reference worksPublications for looking things up
reference listsCataloged source citations
frame of referenceContext for judgment

Family

referee, reference, referring, references, referred, refers, referendum, referral, referrals

Familiarity: Top 10,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G