reference
//ˈɹɛf.(ə.)ɹəns//
formalForms
- Plural
- references
- present (v1)
- reference
- past (v2)
- referenced
- past participle (v3)
- referenced
- present participle
- referencing
- 3rd person singular
- references
Definitions
1.A measurement one can compare (some other measurement) to.
2.Information about a person, provided by someone (a referee) with whom they are well acquainted.
- Changes will befall, and friends may part, / But distance only cannot change the heart / And were I call’d to prove th’ assertion true, / One proof should serve, a reference to you.
3.A person who provides this information; a referee.
4.A reference work.
1.To mention, to refer to.
- And I would simply reference those of you who are out there working.
- In his speech, the candidate obliquely referenced the past failures of his opponent.
- Humanities institutions specifically reference the work setting for illustrative applications of the unique and significant contributions of the Humanities.
2.To contain the value that is a memory address of some value stored in memory.
- The given pointer will reference the actual generated data.
3.To provide a list of references for (a text).
- You must thoroughly reference your paper before submitting it.
4.To cite, to use as a reference.
- Reference the dictionary for word meanings.
- Written information is a relatively new phenomenon. Depositing it and being able to reference it centuries later is not common human experience.
- On the Florence Harding page, for instance, a researcher will be able to reference a book by Waarren Harding’s alleged mistress, Nan Britton, who claimed that she bore his daughter.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1695
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Common
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle French référence, from Medieval Latin referentia, nominative neuter plural of referēns, present participle of referō (“return, reply”, literally “carry back”).
Morphologically refer + -ence.