reference

Information from someone who knows you, describing your character or work, usually for a job application.

• My manager wrote me a reference.
• Please provide two references with your application.
• Her former employer gave her an excellent reference.

How to use it: reference from someone (The company asked for a reference from my previous employer.)

Similar words: recommendation, testimonial

Common phrases: job reference, character reference, provide a reference

Something you use as a standard when comparing, measuring, or making something else.

• Keep this sample as a reference.
• The original model provided a useful reference.
• We measured every change against the same reference point.

How to use it: use something as a reference (Use this photograph as a reference for your drawing.)

Similar words: standard, benchmark

Common phrases: reference point, reference image, as a reference

A published book, article, or other written work used as a source of information.

• This book is a useful reference.
• Her paper includes several recent references.
• I found the answer in one of the listed references.

Similar words: source

Common phrases: list of references, academic reference, useful reference

To name a book, article, or other source that supports what you write or say.

• Always reference your sources.
• He referenced a recent study in his report.
• Have you referenced every article you used?

How to use it: reference something in something (She referenced three studies in her essay.)

Similar words: cite

Common phrases: reference a source, reference an article, reference a study

To mention someone or something, directly or indirectly.

• The song references her childhood.
• He referenced the accident without describing it.
• Several jokes in the film reference old television shows.

Similar words: mention, refer to, allude to

Common phrases: reference an event, reference someone's past, reference a film

To hold the address of data stored in a computer's memory.

• This pointer references the data.
• Both variables reference the same object.
• The address referenced a value that had been deleted.

Similar words: point to

Common phrases: reference an object, reference a value, reference stored data