ENGLISH
REFERENCE

transfer

v. · n.
US //ˈtɹænsfɝ// trans·fer
  1. 1 to move something (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to move someone or something from one place to another.

    to convey or shift an object, person, or data from one location or context to another. Transitive in this sense.

    Example

    I need to transfer my photos from my phone to my computer.

    Example

    The IT department will transfer all legacy data to the new cloud server over the weekend to ensure a seamless transition for the staff.
  2. 2 to change jobs or schools (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to move to a different department, office, or school.

    to relocate professionally or academically to a different branch, department, or institution.

    Example

    She decided to transfer to the London office to be closer to her family.

    Example

    After completing his sophomore year, the student opted to transfer to a university with a more robust research programme in molecular biology.
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  1. 3 to hand over control (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    to officially give money, property, or power to someone else.

    to legally or formally assign ownership, rights, or responsibility to another party.

    Example

    He transferred the money to his sister's bank account yesterday.

    Example

    The deed of the property was officially transferred to the trust following the finalisation of the probate proceedings.
  2. 4 the act of moving (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the act of moving something or someone to a new place.

    the process or instance of conveying something from one person, place, or situation to another.

    Example

    The bank charges a small fee for every international wire transfer.

    Example

    The patient's transfer to the intensive care unit was handled with extreme caution due to his unstable respiratory condition.
  3. 5 sports player move (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    a professional player who moves from one team to another.

    the relocation of a professional athlete between clubs, often involving a contractual buyout or fee.

    Example

    The team's new transfer scored a goal in his very first game.

    Example

    The club broke its previous spending record to secure the transfer of the young striker before the summer window closed.
  4. 6 transport connection (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a ticket or a place where you change from one bus or train to another.

    an instance of changing between public transport vehicles, or the document permitting such a change.

    Example

    We have a two-hour transfer in Chicago before our flight to New York.

    Example

    The city's integrated transit system allows passengers to use a single transfer for both the subway and the bus network within a ninety-minute window.
Origin

From Latin trānsferō (“I bear across”). Distant doublet of translate. See also collate and confer, delate and defer, as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Word family

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