- 1(informal ref) the official who controls the game in some sports He was sent off for arguing with the referee. compare umpire Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebasketball, boxing, football, … referee + verbaward somebody something, blow his/her/the whistle, stop something, … phrasesthe referee’s decision See full entry
- 2(British English) a person who gives information about your character and ability, usually in a letter, for example when you are applying for a job The principal often acts as a referee for his students. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveacademic verb + refereeact as, be prepositionreferee for See full entry See related entries: Job interviews
- 3a person who is asked to settle a disagreement to act as a referee between the parties involved
- 4a person who reads and checks the quality of a technical article before it is published Extra examples His former employer agreed to act as a referee for him. The referee awarded a free kick to the home team. The referee booked three players for offensive behaviour. an assistant referee flagged for a penalty decisions taken by the match referee my 20 years as a professional referee to act as referee between the parties involved All papers are sent out to external referees. Graham is a qualified football referee. The referee blew his whistle and called the foul.
Check pronunciation: referee
