1.  refer(v = verb.communication) advert, bring up, cite, mention, name - make reference to; "His name was mentioned in connection with the invention"
is one way to have in mind, mean, think of
Derived form noun reference₁
Sample sentences: Something is ----ing PP; Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something; Somebody ----s PP

2.  refer(v = verb.stative) bear on, come to, concern, have-to doe with, pertain, relate, touch, touch on - be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments"
Derived form noun reference₆
Sample sentences: Something is ----ing PP; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something

3.  refer(v = verb.cognition) - think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another; "This plant can be referred to a known species"
is one way to assort, class, classify, separate, sort, sort out
Derived form noun reference₁₀
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something PP

4.  refer(v = verb.motion) - send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision; "refer a patient to a specialist"; "refer a bill to a committee"
is one way to direct, send
Derived forms noun referee₁, noun referee₂, noun reference₇, noun referral₃
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something to somebody

5.  refer(v = verb.communication) consult, look up - seek information from; "You should consult the dictionary"; "refer to your notes"
is one way to research
Derived forms noun reference₄, noun reference₈
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s PP

6.  refer(v = verb.communication) denote - have as a meaning; "`multi-' denotes `many' "
is one way to intend, mean, signify, stand for
Derived forms noun reference₆, noun reference₁₀
Sample sentences: Something is ----ing PP; Something ----s something; Somebody ----s PP

7.  refer(v = verb.communication) - use a name to designate; "Christians refer to the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary"
is one way to call, name
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something

1.  To carry or send back. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

2.  Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, information, decision, etc.; to make over, or pass over, to another; as, to refer a student to an author; to refer a beggar to an officer; to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a question of law to a superior tribunal. [1913 Webster]

3.  To place in or under by a mental or rational process; to assign to, as a class, a cause, source, a motive, reason, or ground of explanation; as, he referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances. [1913 Webster]
"I'll refer me to all things sense." [1913 Webster]

1.  To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self; as, to refer to a dictionary. [1913 Webster]
"In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of trust." [1913 Webster]

2.  To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as, the figure refers to a footnote. [1913 Webster]
"Of those places that refer to the shutting and opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job." [1913 Webster]

3.  To carry the mind or thought; to direct attention; as, the preacher referred to the late election. [1913 Webster]

4.  To direct inquiry for information or a guarantee of any kind, as in respect to one's integrity, capacity, pecuniary ability, and the like; as, I referred to his employer for the truth of his story. [1913 Webster]
"Now to the universal whole advert:
The earth regard as of that whole a part." [1913 Webster]

refer, v. (referred, referring) (usu. foll. by to)
1 tr. trace or ascribe (to a person or thing as a cause or source) (referred their success to their popularity).
2 tr. consider as belonging (to a certain date or place or class).
3 tr. send on or direct (a person, or a question for decision) (the matter was referred to arbitration; referred him to her previous answer).
4 intr. make an appeal or have recourse to (some authority or source of information) (referred to his notes).
5 tr. send (a person) to a medical specialist etc.
6 tr. (foll. by back to) send (a proposal etc.) back to (a lower body, court, etc.).
7 intr. (foll. by to) (of a person speaking) make an allusion or direct the hearer's attention (decided not to refer to our other problems).
8 intr. (foll. by to) (of a statement etc.) have a particular relation; be directed (this paragraph refers to the events of last year).
9 tr. (foll. by to) interpret (a statement) as being directed to (a particular context etc.).
10 tr. fail (a candidate in an examination).

Idiom:
referred pain pain felt in a part of the body other than its actual source. refer to drawer a banker's note suspending payment of a cheque.

Derivative:
referable adj. referrer n.

Etymology:
ME f. OF referer f. L referre carry back (as RE-, ferre bring)

refer to