ref·er·ence

(rĕf′ər-əns, rĕf′rəns)

1. The act of referring to something: filed away the article for future reference.

a. Significance for a specified matter; relation or relationship: Her speeches have special reference to environmental policy.

b. Meaning or denotation: The reference of the word "lion" is to a kind of wild cat.

3. A mention of an occurrence or situation: made frequent references to her promotion.

a. A note in a publication referring the reader to another passage or source.

b. The passage or source so referred to.

c. A work frequently used as a source.

d. A mark or footnote used to direct a reader elsewhere for additional information.

5. Law

a. Submission of a case to a referee.

b. Legal proceedings conducted before or by a referee.

a. A person who is in a position to recommend another or to vouch for his or her fitness, as for a job.

b. A statement about a person's qualifications, character, and dependability.

tr.v. ref·er·enced, ref·er·enc·ing, ref·er·ences

1. To supply (a text) with references: The author hadn't adequately referenced the third chapter, so the copyeditor suggested adding more citations. This article is thoroughly referenced with up-to-date sources.

a. To cite as a reference: The monograph doesn't reference any peer-reviewed articles.

b. Usage Problem To mention or allude to: The comedian's monologue referenced many Hollywood stars.

Idiom:

in/with reference to

In connection with; in relation to: This letter is in reference to the invoice that accompanied the package.

ref′er·enc·er n.

ref′er·en′tial (-ə-rĕn′shəl) adj.

ref′er·en′tial·ly adv.

Usage Note: Though originally a noun, reference is often used as a transitive verb meaning "to supply (a book, article, or other work) with references." People also use the verb to mean "To cite as a reference" or simply "To mention or allude to." Though some traditionalists oppose these latter two uses of reference, the usage is most widely accepted when the context involves actual citing of sources. For instance, in our 2013 survey, fully 70 percent of the Usage Panel found The paper references several articles on global warming at least somewhat acceptable, while only 37 percent accepted the sentence During the press conference, the mayor referenced the recent floods.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

referentially

(ˌrɛfəˈrɛnʃəlɪ)

adv

in a referential manner

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

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References in periodicals archive

107-9) shows that ancient genealogies are referentially historical, factually fluid, and ideologically purposeful, but then ends without making clear how these insights inform the proposition that "the flood account is part of a sequence of sin and judgment serving as a backstory for the covenant" (pp.

THE LOST WORLD OF THE FLOOD: Mythology, Theology, and the Deluge Debate

Based on syntactical considerations about numerical expressions, such as "the number 1," "1+1" or "the number of the Jupiter's moons," Frege argues that these expressions are used referentially (cf.

NUMBERS AS PICTURES OF EXTENSIONS

It is "at least referentially expressive of the thoughts and feelings of a modern scientist," but at the same time not so obtrusive "as to alienate those not fully at home in that world of thought."

Modern eucharistic prayer: the 21st century needs an approach to liturgy that carries meaning after the impact of Darwin, Einstein and Hubble

For instance, Donnellan (290-91) observes that two people, neither of whom believes that a certain person is the true, rightful king, could communicate to one another by describing him referentially (and cynically) as "the king." By contrast, it is crucial to Socrates' point (on all accounts) that the agent believes the relevant description.

Everyone desires the good: Socrates' protreptic theory of desire

...an employer can readily make contracts with his or her employees which referentially incorporate the minimum notice periods set out in the Act...

Minimum notice limitations are enforceable

In Neutral Accent: How Language, Labor, and Life Become Global, the phrase "neutral accent" is used partly referentially and partly metaphorically as the author gives an account of how differences--linguistic, cultural, temporal, and gender-related--are disregarded in the functioning of the call centers in Gurgaon, India.

Aneesh, A. Neutral Accent: How Language, Labor, and Life Become Global. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2015

The sacks summon both Alberto Burri and David Hammons, but Collings-James's touch is more clinical (aesthetically and referentially).

Phoebe Collings-James and Jesse Darling: Company

As scholars Chisato Kitagawa and Adrienne Lehrer (1990) maintain, personal pronouns do not always carry a personal meaning and may be used referentially (when personal pronoun stand for specific individuals), impersonally/generically (when pronouns stand for anyone, everyone, people in general), and vaguely (when pronouns stand for specific unidentified individuals) (Kitagawa, Lehrer 1990: 742).

PRONOUNS AS MEANS OF IMPERSONAL PRESENTATION IN ENGLISH QUALITY PRESS

The theory that 'all is flux' is self referentially absurd.

Reason and public discourse: what can we learn from Socrates?