referring
v. · n.-
1 mentioning something (v.) B1 Intermediatetalking about or mentioning a person, thing, or idea.
alluding to or mentioning a specific subject, person, or event in speech or writing.
ExampleI think she was referring to the meeting we had last Tuesday.
ExampleThe speaker was clearly referring to the recent economic downturn, though he avoided mentioning the specific figures in his opening remarks.
UsageRequires the preposition 'to' when taking an object.
PitfallHe was referring his old job.He was referring to his old job.The verb 'refer' must be followed by the preposition 'to' when mentioning something.
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2 sending to an expert (v.) B2 Upper Intermediatesending someone to a different person or place for help or information.
directing a person to a specialist, authority, or different department for professional consultation or action.
ExampleThe doctor is referring me to a specialist for more tests.
ExampleThe primary care physician is referring the patient to a cardiologist to investigate the persistent heart palpitations.
UsageOften follows the pattern 'referring someone to someone else'.
- directing
- passing on
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3 looking for information (v.) B1 Intermediatelooking at a book, map, or website to find information.
consulting a source of information for facts, data, or guidance.
ExampleHe kept referring to his notes during the presentation.
ExampleThe researchers were constantly referring to the original data sets to ensure their conclusions remained accurate throughout the analysis.
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4 the act of mentioning (n.) C1 Advanced Formalthe act of mentioning or pointing something out.
the action of mentioning or alluding to something; a specific instance of reference.
ExampleThe constant referring to past mistakes made the conversation difficult.
ExampleThe author's frequent referring to obscure classical texts suggests a highly academic intended audience.
Teacher's tipWhile 'reference' is the more common noun, 'referring' is used as a gerund to describe the ongoing action.