- 1 [countable, uncountable] reference (to somebody/something) a thing you say or write that mentions somebody/something else; the act of mentioning somebody/something The book is full of references to growing up in India. She made no reference to her illness but only to her future plans. the President’s passing reference to (= brief mention of) the end of the war Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveextensive, brief, casual, … verb + referencecontain, have, include, … prepositionin a/the reference, in reference to, with reference to, … See full entry looking for information
- 2 [uncountable] the act of looking at something for information Keep the list of numbers near the phone for easy reference. I wrote down the name of the hotel for future reference (= because it might be useful in the future). The library contains many popular works of reference (= reference books). Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivegeneral, comprehensive, essential, … reference + nounbook, guide, manual, … See full entry asking for advice
- 3[uncountable] reference (to somebody/something) (formal) the act of asking somebody for help or advice The emergency nurse can treat minor injuries without reference to a doctor. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveeasy, quick, further, … prepositionby reference to, for reference, without reference to, … phrasesfor somebody’s own reference, for somebody’s personal reference, for reference purposes, … See full entry number/word/symbol
- 4 [countable] (abbreviation ref.) a number, word or symbol that shows where something is on a map, or where you can find a piece of information The map reference is Y4. Please quote your reference number when making an enquiry. Wordfindermapcompass, globe, GPS, grid, key, latitude, map, navigate, reference, scale Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecopious, full, appropriate, … verb + referencequote, cite, give, … reference + nounnumber prepositionin a/the reference, reference to phrasesa list of references See full entry for new job
- 5 [countable] a letter written by somebody who knows you, giving information about your character and abilities, especially to a new employer We will take up references after the interview. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveglowing, good, bad, … verb + referenceask for, need, give (somebody), … prepositionreference from phrasesa letter of reference See full entry See related entries: Job interviews
- 6[countable] a person who agrees to write a reference, for you, for example when you are applying for a job synonym referee My previous boss will act as a reference for me. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verb + referenceact as, be, contact, … prepositionreference for See full entry See related entries: Job interviews in book
- 7 [countable] a note in a book that tells you where a particular piece of information comes from There is a list of references at the end of each chapter. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecopious, full, appropriate, … verb + referencequote, cite, give, … reference + nounnumber prepositionin a/the reference, reference to phrasesa list of references See full entry see also cross reference, frame of reference, terms of reference Wordfinderapplyapply, appoint, candidate, CV, experience, interview, job description, qualification, reference, shortlistExtra examples Gene frequencies were calculated then compared with the Finnish population as a reference group. He dropped casual references to the legacy of his great work. Her diary contains no reference to the alleged appointment. His former employer agreed to act as a reference for him. I am writing with reference to your job application. I made a copy of your work, just for my own reference. In an obvious reference to the president, he talked of corruption in high places. Our charges are calculated by reference to an hourly rate. People interpret events within their own frame of reference. Please quote the appropriate reference in your letter. Please send a full CV, quoting the appropriate reference. References to original sources are given at the end of each chapter. Retain a copy of the form for future reference. She needs the book for reference purposes. She won a grant to study political science with special reference to China. The article makes no reference to his first marriage. The audience didn’t get the references to colonialism. The book is an invaluable source of reference for the art historian. The book is by far the best general reference on natural history. The book is filled with references to God. The book is organized alphabetically for easy reference. The cross-references refer you to information in other parts of the dictionary. The date of publication should be included in the reference. The decision was made without reference to local managers. The matter was outside the committee’s terms of reference. The new constitution dropped all reference to previous wars. The summary should be comprehensible without reference back to the source work. They could find no further reference to Mr LaMotte in the records. They’ve taken up my references, so they must be interested in me. They’ve taken up my references= contacted the people who provided them, so they must be interested in me. Unemployment serves as a useful point of reference in examining social problems. You’ll find the information in the reference section of your local library. a reference from your current employer a reference to page 17 an online reference tool one of the earliest references to the game of chess Dr Kemp had written a reference for her when she left. He had a number of good character references, including one from a retired policeman. He’s studying political science with special reference to China. She made no reference to her illness, but only to her future plans. The library contains many popular works of reference. With reference to your letter of 22 July… a reference bookIdioms
mentioning somebody/something
(formal) used to say what you are talking or writing about With reference to your letter of July 22…
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