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refer to

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refer someone to someone or something

to direct someone to someone or something; to send someone to someone or something. The front office referred me to you, and you are now referring me to someone else! They should have referred you to the personnel department.

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refer to someone or something

to mention someone or something. Are you referring tome when you speak about a kind and helpful person? I was referring to the personnel department.

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refer to something

to look at something for information or help He referred to the dictionary for the correct spelling of the word.

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refer to somebody/something

to mention or talk about someone or something I think you're referring to a TV interview on a news program last week. Do you think he was referring to me?

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refer somebody to something

to bring someone's attention to something I refer the reader to chapter 6.

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refer somebody to somebody/something

to give someone the name of someone else or of an organization My doctor referred me to a cancer specialist. She was referred to the Rare Books department of the public library.

Usage notes: people are usually referred to someone or something that will help them, as in the examples

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refer something to somebody/something

(slightly formal)

to ask that a problem or idea be considered by someone or something else The Senate voted to refer the issue to a subcommittee. All inquiries should be referred to the central office in Philadelphia.

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refer to

v.

1. To mention or reference someone or something: When you say he's clumsy, are you referring to what he did the other day? When we are in the meeting, refer to me as your colleague and not as your sister.

2. To signify something or someone directly; denote something or someone: The red line on the graph refers to the birth rate and the blue line to the death rate.

3. To pertain to something or someone; concern something or someone: I have a question referring to yesterday's lecture.

4. To direct someone to someone or something for help, support, or information: My doctor couldn't find the problem, so she referred me to a specialist.

5. To have recourse to someone or something for help, support, or information; turn to someone or something: Whenever I encounter a word that I don't know, I refer to a dictionary.

6. To direct the attention of someone to something: The instructor referred us to the third page of the manual.

See also: refer