reference

/ˈrɛfərəns/

/ˈrɛfrəns/

Other forms: references; referenced; referencing

If you are writing a report for school, you are probably relying on a few references, or sources, for information. Or, if you are applying for a job, you may count on a reference from a previous boss to help you get the job.

Good references are sometimes necessary to either get a job or to get a job done well. A reference is someone you can rely on to put in a good word for you when applying for a job. Or, a reference might be an outside source you use in a research paper. Don't forget: if you reference outside work, be sure to mention it in your bibliography or "list of references" so you don't get accused of plagiarism. Give credit where it's due.

Definitions of reference

1. noun

   the act of referring or consulting
   “reference to an encyclopedia produced the answer”

   synonyms: consultation

   type of:

   action

   something done (usually as opposed to something said)
2. noun

   an indicator that orients you generally
   “it is used as a reference for comparing the heating and the electrical energy involved”

   synonyms: point of reference, reference point

   types:

   bench mark, benchmark

   a surveyor's mark on a permanent object of predetermined position and elevation used as a reference point

   landmark

   a mark showing the boundary of a piece of land

   lubber line, lubber's line, lubber's mark, lubber's point

   a fixed line on a ship's compass indicating its heading

   mark, target

   a reference point to shoot at

   white line

   a white stripe in the middle of a road to mark traffic lanes

   buoy

   bright-colored; a float attached by rope to the seabed to mark channels in a harbor or underwater hazards

   mearstone, meerestone, merestone

   an old term for a landmark that consisted of a pile of stones surmounted by an upright slab

   clout

   a target used in archery

   drogue

   a funnel-shaped device towed as a target by an airplane

   acoustic buoy

   a buoy that can be heard (at night)

   can, can buoy

   a buoy with a round bottom and conical top

   conical buoy, nun, nun buoy

   a buoy resembling a cone

   spar buoy

   a buoy resembling a vertical log

   type of:

   indicator

   a signal for attracting attention
3. noun

   a remark that calls attention to something or someone
   “the speaker made several references to his wife”

   synonyms: mention

   types:

   allusion

   passing reference or indirect mention

   retrospection

   reference to things past

   name-dropping

   the practice of casually mentioning important people in order to impress your listener

   type of:

   comment, input, remark

   a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
4. noun

   (computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored
   synonyms: address, computer address

   types:

   argument, parameter

   (computer science) a reference or value that is passed to a function, procedure, subroutine, command, or program

   uniform resource locator, universal resource locator

   the address of a web page on the world wide web

   type of:

   code, computer code

   (computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions
5. noun

   a book to which you can refer for authoritative facts
   “he contributed articles to the basic reference work on that topic”

   synonyms: book of facts, reference book, reference work

   types:

   cookbook, cookery book

   a book of recipes and cooking directions

   instruction book

   a book of directions for using or operating some piece of equipment

   source book

   a collection of historically important documents published together as a book

   wordbook

   a reference book containing words (usually with their meanings)

   enchiridion, handbook, vade mecum

   a concise reference book providing specific information about a subject or location

   directory

   an alphabetical list of names and addresses

   annual, yearbook, yearly

   a reference book that is published regularly once every year

   atlas, book of maps, map collection

   a collection of maps in book form

   cyclopaedia, cyclopedia, encyclopaedia, encyclopedia

   a reference work (often in several volumes) containing articles on various topics (often arranged in alphabetical order) dealing with the entire range of human knowledge or with some particular specialty

   dictionary, lexicon

   a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them

   onomasticon

   a list of proper nouns naming persons or places

   vocabulary

   a listing of the words used in some enterprise

   gloss, glossary

   an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field

   synonym finder, thesaurus

   a book containing a classified list of synonyms

   manual

   a small handbook

   bible

   a book regarded as authoritative in its field

   guide, guidebook

   something that offers basic information or instruction

   ready reckoner, reckoner

   a handbook of tables used to facilitate computation

   phone book, phonebook, telephone book, telephone directory

   a directory containing an alphabetical list of telephone subscribers and their telephone numbers

   almanac

   an annual publication containing tabular information in a particular field or fields arranged according to the calendar of a given year

   almanac, farmer's calendar

   an annual publication including weather forecasts and other miscellaneous information arranged according to the calendar of a given year

   ephemeris

   an annual publication containing astronomical tables that give the positions of the celestial bodies throughout the year

   dialect atlas, linguistic atlas

   an atlas showing the distribution of distinctive linguistic features

   book of knowledge

   an elementary encyclopedia dealing with general knowledge

   blue book

   a register of persons who are socially prominent

   type of:

   book

   a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
6. noun

   a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to
   “he carried an armful of references back to his desk”

   synonyms: source

   type of:

   publication

   a copy of a printed work offered for distribution
7. noun

   a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
   synonyms: acknowledgment, citation, cite, credit, mention, quotation

   types:

   photo credit

   a note acknowledging the source of a published photograph

   cross-index, cross-reference

   a reference at one place in a work to information at another place in the same work

   type of:

   annotation, notation, note

   a comment or instruction (usually added)
8. verb

   refer to
   “he referenced his colleagues' work”

   synonyms: cite

   type of:

   compose, indite, pen, write

   produce a literary work
9. noun

   a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability
   synonyms: character, character reference

   type of:

   good word, recommendation, testimonial

   something that recommends (or expresses commendation of) a person or thing as worthy or desirable
10. noun

    the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to
    “he argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes”

    type of:

    meaning, substance

    the idea that is intended
11. noun

    the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to
    synonyms: denotation, extension

    type of:

    meaning, substance

    the idea that is intended