refer

/ɹɪˈfɝ/
verbnoun

To direct the attention of (someone toward something).

NWL Collins ENABLE Wordle answer list

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To direct the attention of (someone toward something).

    “The shop assistant referred me to the help desk on ground floor.”

  2. To submit to (another person or group) for consideration; to send or direct elsewhere.

    “He referred the matter to the principal.”

  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.

    “He referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances.”

  4. To mention (something); to direct attention (to something).

    “To explain the problem, the teacher referred to an example in another textbook.”

Noun 1 meaning

  1. A blurb on the front page of a newspaper issue or section that refers the reader to the full story inside the issue or section by listing its slug or headline and its page number.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre. The noun (used in journalism) is from the verb. Doublet of relate. See also infer, collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
senddelegatedirect

REFER at a glance

REFER has 5 letters and scores 8 points in Scrabble (R 1 + E 1 + F 4 + E 1 + R 1) and 8 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,264 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.

Rhymes with refer

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • DEFER9
  • SEFER8
  • REFED9
  • REFEL8
  • RIFER8

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