v. to refer from one entry to another, as in catalogues, books, and lists. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a reference at one place in a work to information at another place in the same work.
Syn. -- cross-index. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. an arbitrary set of spatial coordinates used to describe the position or motion of objects. The coordinates may be fixed or moving; as, a rotating frame of reference. [ PJC ]

2. a set of assumptions or conditions that are used to discuss or understand something; as, a religious frame of reference. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Preferred p. pr. & vb. n. Preferring. ] [ F. préférer, L. praeferre; prae before + ferre to bear or carry. See 1st Bear. ] 1. To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass. [ Obs. ] “Though maidenhood prefer bigamy.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would prefer him to a better place. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Ps. cxxxvii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To choose; elect. See Choose. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being preferable; preferableness. J. S. Mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. préférable. ] Worthy to be preferred or chosen before something else; more desirable; as, a preferable scheme. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being preferable. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In preference; by choice. [ 1913 Webster ]

To choose Plautus preferably to Terence. Dennis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. préférence. ] 1. The act of Preferring, or the state of being preferred; the setting of one thing before another; precedence; higher estimation; predilection; choice; also, the power or opportunity of choosing; as, to give him his preference. [ 1913 Webster ]

Leave the critics on either side to contend about the preference due to this or that sort of poetry. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knowledge of things alone gives a value to our reasonings, and preference of one man's knowledge over another's. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is preferred; the object of choice or superior favor; as, which is your preference? [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Giving, indicating, or having a preference or precedence; as, a preferential claim; preferential shares. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Political Science) A system of voting, as at primaries, in which the voters are allowed to indicate on their ballots their preference (usually their first and second choices) between two or more candidates for an office, so that if no candidate receives a majority of first choices the one receiving the greatest number of first and second choices together in nominated or elected. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. The act of choosing, or the state of being chosen; preference. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Natural preferment of the one . . . before the other. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of preferring, or advancing in dignity or office; the state of being advanced; promotion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither royal blandishments nor promises of valuable preferment had been spared. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A position or office of honor or profit; as, the preferments of the church. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who prefers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Referred p. pr. & vb. n. Referring. ] [ F. référer, L. referre; pref. re- re- + ferre to bear. See Bear to carry. ] 1. To carry or send back. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, information, decision, etc.; to make over, or pass over, to another; as, to refer a student to an author; to refer a beggar to an officer; to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a question of law to a superior tribunal. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; as, he referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances. [ 1913 Webster ]

To refer one's self, to have recourse; to betake one's self; to make application; to appeal. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll refer me to all things sense. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self; as, to refer to a dictionary. [ 1913 Webster ]

In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of trust. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as, the figure refers to a footnote. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of those places that refer to the shutting and opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To carry the mind or thought; to direct attention; as, the preacher referred to the late election. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To direct inquiry for information or a guarantee of any kind, as in respect to one's integrity, capacity, pecuniary ability, and the like; as, I referred to his employer for the truth of his story. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To allude; advert; suggest; appeal. Refer, Allude, Advert. We refer to a thing by specifically and distinctly introducing it into our discourse. We allude to it by introducing it indirectly or indefinitely, as by something collaterally allied to it. We advert to it by turning off somewhat abruptly to consider it more at large. Thus, Macaulay refers to the early condition of England at the opening of his history; he alludes to these statements from time to time; and adverts, in the progress of his work, to various circumstances of peculiar interest, on which for a time he dwells. “But to do good is . . . that that Solomon chiefly refers to in the text.” Sharp. “This, I doubt not, was that artificial structure here alluded to.” T. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now to the universal whole advert:
The earth regard as of that whole a part. Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being referred, or considered in relation to something else; assignable; ascribable. [ Written also referrible. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It is a question among philosophers, whether all the attractions which obtain between bodies are referable to one general cause. W. Nicholson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One to whom a thing is referred; a person to whom a matter in dispute has been referred, in order that he may settle it. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Judge; arbitrator; umpire. See Judge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Refer. ] 1. The act of referring, or the state of being referred; as, reference to a chart for guidance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which refers to something; a specific direction of the attention; as, a reference in a text-book. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relation; regard; respect. [ 1913 Webster ]

Something that hath a reference to my state. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One who, or that which, is referred to. Specifically; (a) One of whom inquires can be made as to the integrity, capacity, and the like, of another. (b) A work, or a passage in a work, to which one is referred. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) (a) The act of submitting a matter in dispute to the judgment of one or more persons for decision. (b) (Equity) The process of sending any matter, for inquiry in a cause, to a master or other officer, in order that he may ascertain facts and report to the court. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Appeal. [ R. ] “Make your full reference.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Reference Bible, a Bible in which brief explanations, and references to parallel passages, are printed in the margin of the text. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. referendarius, fr. L. referendus to be referred, gerundive of referre: cf. F. référendaire. See Refer. ] 1. One to whose decision a cause is referred; a referee. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An officer who delivered the royal answer to petitions. “Referendaries, or masters of request.” Harmar. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Formerly, an officer of state charged with the duty of procuring and dispatching diplomas and decrees. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. -da /plu> [ Gerundive fr. L. referre. See Refer. ] 1. A diplomatic agent's note asking for instructions from his government concerning a particular matter or point. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The right to approve or reject by popular vote a meassure passed upon by a legislature. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The principle or practice of referring measures passed upon by the legislative body to the body of voters, or electorate, for approval or rejection, as in the Swiss cantons (except Freiburg) and in various local governments in the United States, and also in the local option laws, etc.; also, the right to so approve or reject laws, or the vote by which this is done. Referendum is distinguished from the mandate, or instruction of representatives by the people, from direct government by the people, in which they initiate and make the laws by direct action without representation, and from a plebiscite, or popular vote taken on any measure proposed by a person or body having the initiative but not constituting a representative or constituent body. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Containing a reference; pointing to something out of itself; as, notes for referential use. -- Ref`er*en"tial*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. The act of referring; reference. Laud. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who refers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Referable. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]