catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Refer \Re*fer"\ (r[-e]*f[~e]r"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Referred
     (r[-e]*f[~e]rd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Referring.] [F.
     r['e]f['e]rer, 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]

  Refer \Re*fer"\ (r?*f?r"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Referred
     (-f?rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Referring.] [F. r['e]f['e]rer, L.
     referre; pref. re- re- + ferre to bear. See Bear to carry.]
     1. To carry or send back. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
  
     2. Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct
        elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, infirmation, 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.
  
     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.
  
     To refer one's self, to have recourse; to betake one's
        self; to make application; to appeal. [Obs.]
  
              I'll refer me to all things sense.    --Shak.