LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird conjugation, suppletive

referō

referō (present infinitive referre, perfect active rettulī, supine relātum)
Classical[ˈrɛ.fɛ.roː]Ecclesiastical[ˈrɛː.fe.ro]
№ 171 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. suppletiveto bear, bring, drive, or carry back, off, or away
    “Ēgregiam vērō laudem et spolia ampla refertis tūque puerque tuus, magnum et memorābile nūmen,“[Such] praiseworthy honor, indeed! And splendid the spoils you [both] bring back — you and your boy, [Cupid] — so great and glorious the divine might, the guile of two gods having vanquished one woman!” (Juno mocks Venus after Dido has fallen in love.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.93-95
  2. suppletiveto give back, give up, return, restore, pay back, repay, render, pay in return, show one’s gratitude
    Praeclāram vērō populō Rōmānō refers grātiam, […].[In context, sarcasm:] Truly, you render such splendid gratitude to the Roman people, […] .63 BCE, Cicero, In Catilinam orationes 1.28
  3. suppletiveto bring back, return, answer, echo, resound
  4. suppletiveto bring back, restore, renew, revive, repeat
  5. suppletiveto say in return, respond, reply, answer, represent
    Tandem pauca refert: [...].At last [Aeneas] briefly replies: ….29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.333
  6. suppletiveto call to mind, recall, think over, call back to memory, repeat one's self
    liceat sūmpta pauca referre lyraLet me take up my lyre to recall a few [notes].8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 2.104
  7. suppletiveto reconsider
  8. suppletiveto refer to, assign to, give credit for
  9. suppletiveto judge by, measure according to a certain standard
  10. suppletiveto restore, renew, revive, repeat
  11. suppletiverelate, recount, tell, say
  12. suppletiveto bring a matter before, to make a formal motion or proposal to an authority, such as the Roman Senate
    Nōn referam id quod abhorret ā meīs mōribus, et tamen faciam ut intellegās quid hī dē tē sentiant.I will not make a motion for that which is inconsistent with my principles, and yet I shall act [in such a way] that you may understand what these [senators] think about you.63 BCE, Cicero, In Catilinam orationes 1.20
  13. suppletiveto include, enter
  14. suppletiveto make known officially, report, deliver, transmit, announce, notify, proclaim, register, record
  15. passivesuppletiveto retreat, go back, withdraw, return
    pedes quoque referret gradumThe infantry also retreated from his position27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita I.14
  16. suppletiveto tell, recount, narrate

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

portō ad eum quī mīsit; respōnsum referō.
referō -ferre rettulī — in Mille Verba, Castra in Aegyptō
rūrsus portātus
bring back, report
referō, referre, rettulī, relātus — in De Bello Gallico II, ch. 7

Conjugation conjugation 3

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.referōreferēbamreferamrettulī
retulī		rettuleramrettulerō
2nd sg.refersreferēbāsreferēsrettulistīrettulerāsrettuleris
3rd sg.refertreferēbatreferetrettulit
retulit		rettuleratrettulerit
1st pl.referimusreferēbāmusreferēmusrettulimus
retulimus		rettulerāmusrettulerimus
retulerimus
2nd pl.refertisreferēbātisreferētisrettulistisrettulerātisrettuleritis
3rd pl.referuntreferēbantreferentrettulērunt
rettulēre, retulēre		rettulerantrettulerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.referamreferremrettulerimrettulissem
2nd sg.referāsreferrēsrettulerīsrettulissēs
3rd sg.referatreferretrettuleritrettulisset
1st pl.referāmusreferrēmusrettulerīmus
retulerīmus		rettulissēmus
2nd pl.referātisreferrētisrettulerītisrettulissētis
3rd pl.referantreferrentrettulerintrettulissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.referorreferēbarreferar
2nd sg.referris
referre		referēbāris
referēbāre		referēris
referēre
3rd sg.referturreferēbāturreferētur
1st pl.referimurreferēbāmurreferēmur
2nd pl.referiminīreferēbāminīreferēminī
3rd pl.referunturreferēbanturreferentur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.referarreferrer
2nd sg.referāris
referāre		referrēris
referrēre
3rd sg.referāturreferrētur
1st pl.referāmurreferrēmur
2nd pl.referāminīreferrēminī
3rd pl.referanturreferrentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.referreferre
pres. 2nd pl.refertereferiminī
fut. 2nd sg.refertōrefertor
fut. 3rd sg.refertōrefertor
fut. 2nd pl.refertōte—
fut. 3rd pl.referuntōreferuntor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivereferrereferrī
perfect infinitiverettulisserelātum esse
future infinitiverelātūrum esserelātum īrī
present participlereferēns—
perfect participle—relātus
relāta, relātā, relātae, relātam, relātārum, relātās, relāte, relātī, relātīs, relātō, relātōrum, relātōs
future participlerelātūrus
relātūra, relātūrā, relātūrae, relātūram, relātūrārum, relātūrās, relātūre, relātūrī, relātūrīs, relātūrō, relātūrōrum, relātūrōs, relātūrum		referendus
referundus
gerundreferendī, referendō, referendumsupinerelātum, relātū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

pedem referre
to retire (without turning one's back on the enemy).
par pari referre
to return like for like.
gradum sensim referre
to retreat step by step.
referre in reos aliquem
to put some one on the list of the accused.
victoriam ferre, referre
to gain a victory, win a battle.
in otium se referre (Fam. 99)
to retire into private life.
omnia ad suam utilitatem referre
to consider one's own advantage in everything.
aliquem in deorum numero referre
to consider as a god.
14 more phrases
bonam (praeclaram) gratiam referre
to reward amply; to give manifold recompense for.
nomina facere or in tabulas referre
to book a debt.
in album referre (De Or. 2. 12. 52)
to record in the official tablets (Annales maximi).
in tabulas publicas referre aliquid
to enter a thing in the public records.
liber refertur ad nescio quem auctorem
the book is attributed to an unknown writer.
ad senatum referre (Cic. Dom. 53. 136)
to bring a question before the senate (of the presiding magistrate).
ad rei publicae rationes aliquid referre
to consider a thing from a political point of view.
dirigere or referre aliquid ad aliquam rem
to measure something by the standard of something else; to make something one's criterion.
aliquem in deorum numerum referre, reponere
to deify a person.
alicui acceptum referre aliquid (Verr. 2. 70. 170)
to put down to a man's credit.
aliquid in commentarios suos referre (Tusc. 3. 22. 54)
to enter a thing in one's note-book.
gratiam alicui referre (meritam, debitam) pro aliqua re
to show gratitude (in one's acts).
in proscriptorum numerum referre aliquem (Rosc. Am. 11. 32)
to place a person's name on the list of the proscribed.
omnia consilia et facta ad virtutem referre (Phil. 10. 10. 20)
to make virtue the standard in every thought and act.

rĕ-fĕro, rettŭli (also written retuli), rĕlātum (rēlātum or rellatum, Lucr. 2, 1001), rĕferre,
I. v. a. irr., to bear, carry, bring, draw, or give back (very freq. and class.; cf.: reduco, reporto, retraho).
I. Lit.
A. Ingen.: zonas, quas plenas argenti extuli, eas ex provinciā inanes rettuli, C. Gracchus ap. Gell. 15, 12 fin.: arma, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 25: vasa domum, id. Poen. 4, 2, 25; cf.: pallam domum, id. Men. 5, 7, 59; 4, 2, 97; 98; cf.: anulum ad me, id. Cas. 2, 1, 1; and simply pallam, spinther, id. Men. 3, 3, 16; 5, 1, 5; 5, 2, 56: secum aurum, id. Aul. 4, 5, 4: exta, id. Poen. 2, 44: uvidum rete sine squamoso pecu, id. Rud. 4, 3, 5: aestus aliquem in portum refert, id. As. 1, 3, 6: Auster me ad tribulos tuos Rhegium rettulit, Cic. Fam. 12, 25, 3: ut naves eodem, unde erant profectae, reterrentur, Caes. B. G. 4, 28: me referunt pedes in Tusculanum, Cic. Att. 15, 16, B; cf.: aliquem lecticae impositum domum, Suet. Caes. 82; and: in Palatium, id. Vit. 16: intro referre pedem, to turn one's feet back, to return, Plaut. Merc. 5, 4, 50; cf.: incertus tuum cave ad me rettuleris pedem, id. Ep. 3, 4, 3: caelo rettulit illa pedem, Ov. H. 16, 88; 15, 186: fertque refertque pedes, id. F. 6, 334 (for a different use of the phrase, v. infra B. 2.): in decimum vestigia rettulit annum (victoria), Verg. A. 11, 290: in convivia gressum, Sil. 11, 355: in thalamos cursum, id. 8, 89: ad nomen caput ille refert, turns his head, looks back, Ov. M. 3, 245: suumque Rettulit os in se, drew back, concealed, id. ib. 2, 303: ad Tuneta rursum castra refert, Liv. 30, 16: corpus in monumentum, Petr. 113: relatis Lacedaemona (ossibus), Just. 3, 3, 12: gemmam non ad os, sed ad genas, Ov. Tr. 5, 4, 5: digitos ad os referre, to draw back (v. digitus), Quint. 11, 3, 103: digitos ad frontem saepe, Ov. M. 15, 567: manum ad capulum, Tac. A. 15, 58 fin.: rursus enses vaginae, Sil. 7, 508: pecunias monumentaque, in templum, Caes. B. C. 2, 21: caput ejus in castra, id. B. G. 5, 58: vulneratos in locum tutum, id. B. C. 2, 41: cornua (urorum) in publicum, id. B. G. 6, 28: frumentum omne ad se referri jubet, id. ib. 7, 71: signa militaria, scutum, litteras ad Caesarem, id. ib. 7, 88; id. B. C. 3, 53; 3, 99; id. B. G. 1, 29; 5, 49: Caesaris capite relato, id. B. C. 3, 19 fin. —
b. Esp.: referre se, to go back, return: Romam se rettulit, Cic. Fl. 21, 50: sese in castra, Caes. B. C. 1, 72 fin.: se huc, id. ib. 2, 8, 2: domum me Ad porri catinum, Hor. S. 1, 6, 115: sese ab Argis (Juno), Verg. A. 7, 286: se ab aestu, Ov. M. 14, 52; cf.: se de Britannis ovans, Tac. A. 13, 32: causam Cleanthes offert, cur se sol referat, Cic. N. D. 3, 14, 37.—
c. Pass. in mid. sense, to return, arrive: sin reiciemur, tamen eodem paulo tardius referamur necesse est, Cic. Tusc. 1, 49, 119: classem relatam, Verg. A. 1, 390: nunc Itali in tergum versis referuntur habenis, Sil. 4, 317; 7, 623.—
d. To withdraw, remove: fines benignitatis introrsus referre, to narrow, Sen. Ben. 1, 14, 5: Seleucia ab mari relata, remote, Plin. 5, 27, 22, § 93. —
B. In partic.
1. To give back something due; to give up, return, restore, pay back, repay (= reddere): scyphos, quos utendos dedi Philodamo, rettuleritne? Plaut. As. 2, 4, 34; cf. id. Aul. 4, 10, 29; 37; 38; and, pateram (surreptam), Cic. Div. 1, 25, 54: argentum, Plaut. Ps. 2, 2, 29; so (with reddere) id. Curc. 5, 3, 45: mercedem (with reddere), id. As. 2, 4, 35; cf.: octonis idibus aera, to pay the money for tuition. Hor. S. 1, 6, 75 (v. idus): si non Rettuleris pannum, id. Ep. 1, 17, 32; 1, 6, 60: verum, si plus dederis, referam, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 112.—
2. Referre pedem or gradum, as a milit. t. t., to draw back, retire, withdraw, retreat (different from the gen. signif., to return, and the above passages): vulneribus defessi pedem referre coeperunt, Caes. B. G. 1, 25; cf.: ut paulatim cedant ac pedem referant, id. B. C. 2, 40; Liv. 7, 33; so, referre pedem, Caes. B. C. 1, 44 (with loco excedere); Cic. Phil. 12, 3 (opp. insistere); Liv. 3, 60 (opp. restituitur pugna); 21, 8 al.— For the sake of euphony: referre gradum: cum pedes referret gradum, Liv. 1, 14. — And, in a like sense, once mid.: a primā acie ad triarios sensim referebatur, Liv. 8, 8, 11.—
b. Transf., out of the milit. sphere: feroque viso retulit retro pedem (viator), Phaedr. 2, 1, 8; cf.: viso rettulit angue pedem, Ov. F. 2, 342; 6, 334: rettulit ille gradus horrueruntque comae, id. ib. 2, 502: (in judiciis) instare proficientibus et ab iis, quae non adjuvant, quam mollissime pedem oportet referre, Quint. 6, 4, 19.
II. Trop., to bear or carry back, to bring, draw, or give back.
A. In gen.: (Saxum) ejulatu ... Resonando mutum flebiles voces refert, Att. ap. Cic. Fin. 2, 29, 94 (Trag. Rel. p. 176 Rib.); cf. Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 14, § 42: sonum, id. N. D. 2, 57, 144; id. Or. 12, 38; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 201 al.: voces, Ov. M. 12, 47; cf.: Coëamus rettulit Echo, id. ib. 3, 387: cum ex CXXV. judicibus reus L. referret, restored to the list, i. e. retained, accepted (opp. quinque et LXX. reiceret), Cic. Planc. 17: o mihi praeteritos referat si Juppiter annos! Verg. A. 8, 560; cf.: tibi tempora, Hor. C. 4, 13, 13: festas luces (sae culum), id. ib. 4, 6, 42: dies siccos (sol), id. ib. 3, 29, 20 et saep.: hoc quidem jam periit: Ni quid tibi hinc in spem referas, Plaut. Ep. 3, 2, 3: ad amicam meras querimonias referre, id. Truc. 1, 2, 65: hic in suam domum ignominiam et calamitatem rettulit, Cic. Off. 1, 39, 138; cf.: pro re certā spem falsam domum rettulerunt, id. Rosc. Am. 38, 110: rem publicam sistere negat posse, nisi ad equestrem ordinem judicia referantur, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 96, § 223: servati civis decus referre, Tac. A. 3, 21: e cursu populari referre aspectum in curiam, to turn back, turn towards, Cic. Prov. Cons. 16, 38; cf.: oculos animumque ad aliquem, id. Quint. 14, 47: animum ad studia, id. de Or. 1, 1, 1: animum ad veritatem, id. Rosc. Am. 16, 48: animum ad firmitudinem, Tac. A. 3, 6 et saep.: multa dies variique labor mutabilis aevi Rettulit in melius, brought to a better state, Verg. A. 11, 426: uterque se a scientiae delectatione ad efficiendi utilitatem refert, Cic. Rep. 5, 3, 5; so, se ad philosophiam referre, to go back, return, id. Off. 2, 1, 4: ut eo, unde digressa est, referat se oratio, id. ib. 2, 22, 77.—
B. In partic.
1. (Acc. to I. B. 1.) To pay back, give back, repay (syn. reddo): denique Par pari referto, Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 55; cf.: quod ab ipso adlatum est, id sibi esse relatum putet, id. Phorm. prol. 21: ut puto, non poteris ipsa referre vicem, pay him back in his own coin, Ov. A. A. 1, 370; Sen. Herc. Fur. 1337. — Esp. in the phrase referre gratiam (rarely gratias), to return thanks, show one's gratitude (by deeds), to recompense, requite (cf.: gratiam habeo): spero ego mihi quoque Tempus tale eventurum, ut tibi gratium referam parem, Plaut. Merc. 5, 4, 39: parem gratiam, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 51: et habetur et refertur, Thais, a me ita, uti merita es, gratia, id. ib. 4, 6, 12; cf.: meritam gratiam debitamque, Cic. de Or. 3, 4, 14: justam ac debitam gratiam, id. Balb. 26, 59: pro eo mihi ac mereor relaturos esse gratiam, id. Cat. 4, 2, 3; 1, 11, 28; id. Off. 2, 20, 69: fecisti ut tibi numquam referre gratiam possim, Plaut. Capt. 5, 1, 12; id. Most. 1, 3, 57; id. Pers. 5, 2, 71; id. Ps. 1, 3, 86; id. Rud. 5, 3, 36 al.; Cic. Lael. 15, 53; Caes. B. G. 1, 35: alicui pro ejus meritis gratiam referre, id. ib. 5, 27 fin.; id. B. C. 2, 39; 3, 1, fin.: gratiam emeritis, Ov. P. 1, 7, 61: gratiam factis, id. Tr. 5, 4, 47.— Plur.: pro tantis eorum in rem publicam meritis honores ei habeantur gratiaeque referantur, Cic. Phil. 3, 15, 39; 10, 11, 1: dis advenientem gratias pro meritis agere, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 27; v. gratia.—
2. To bring back any thing; to repeat, renew, restore, = repetere, retractare, renovare, etc.: (Hecyram) Iterum referre, to produce it again, Ter. Hec. prol. 7; id. ib. prol. alt. 21 and 30; cf. Hor. A. P. 179.— So, to bring up for reconsideration: rem judicatam, Cic. Dom. 29, 78: ludunt ... Dictaeos referunt Curetas, Lucr. 2, 633: Actia pugna per pueros refertur, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 62: institutum referri ac renovari, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 21, 68; cf.: consuetudo longo intervallo repetita ac relata, id. ib. 21, 67: te illud idem, quod tum explosum et ejectum est, nunc rettulisse demiror, Cic. Clu. 31, 86: cum ad idem, unde semel profecta sunt, cuncta astra redierint eandemque totius caeli descriptionem longis intervallis retulerint, id. Rep. 6, 22, 24: mysteria ad quae biduo serius veneram, id. de Or. 3, 20, 75: quasdam caerimonias ex magno intervallo, Liv. 3, 55: antiquum morem, Suet. Caes. 20: consuetudinem antiquam, id. Tib. 32 et saep.: cum aditus consul idem illud responsum rettulit, repeated, Liv. 37, 6 fin.: veterem Valeriae gentis in liberandā patriā laudem, to restore, Cic. Fl. 1, 1: hunc morem, hos casus atque haec certamina primus Ascanius Rettulit, Verg. A. 5, 598: O mihi praeteritos referat si Juppiter annos, id. ib. 8, 560.—
b. To represent, set forth anew, reproduce, etc.: referre Naturam, mores, victum motusque parentum, to reproduce, Lucr. 1, 597: majorum vultus vocesque comasque, id. 4, 1221: mores, os vultusque ejus (sc. patris), Plin. Ep. 5, 16, 9: parentis sui speciem, Liv. 10, 7; cf.: (Tellus) partim figuras Rettulit antiquas, partim nova monstra creavit, Ov. M. 1, 437: faciem demptā pelle novam, Tib. 1, 8, 46: temporis illius vultum, Ov. M. 13, 443: si quis mihi parvulus aulā Luderet Aeneas, qui te tamen ore referret, might represent, resemble thee, Verg. A. 4, 329; cf.: nomine avum referens, animo manibusque parentem, id. ib. 12, 348: Marsigni sermone vultuque Suevos referunt, Tac. G. 43: neque amissos colores lana refert, Hor. C. 3, 5, 28.—
3. To convey a report, account, intelligence, by speech or by writing; to report, announce, relate, recite, repeat, recount; to mention, allege (class.; in late Lat. saepissime): certorum hominum sermones referebantur ad me, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 10 Orell. N. cr.: tales miserrima fletus Fertque refertque soror (sc. ad Aeneam), Verg. A. 4, 438: pugnam referunt, Ov. M. 12, 160: factum dictumve, Liv. 6, 40: si quis hoc referat exemplum, Quint. 5, 11, 8: in epistulis Cicero haec Bruti refert verba, id. 6, 3, 20: quale refert Cicero de homine praelongo, caput eum, etc., id. 6, 3, 67 et saep.: quaecunque refers, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 60; 2, 1, 130: sermones deorum, id. C. 3, 3, 71: multum referens de Maecenate, Juv. 1, 66. —With obj.-clause, Suet. Caes. 30; Ov. M. 1, 700; 4, 796: Celso gaudere et bene rem gerere refer, Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 2 al.; cf. poet. by Greek attraction: quia rettulit Ajax Esse Jovis pronepos, Ov. M. 13, 141; and: referre aliquid in annales, Liv. 4, 34 fin., and 43, 13, 2: ut Proetum mulier perfida credulum Falsis impulerit criminibus, refert, Hor. C. 3, 7, 16.—Absol.: quantum, inquam, debetis? Respondent CVI. Refero ad Scaptium, I report, announce it to Scaptius, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 12: in quo primum saepe aliter est dictum, aliter ad nos relatum, reported, stated, id. Brut. 57, 288: (Hortensius) nullo referente, omnia adversariorum dicta meminisset, id. ib. 88, 301: abi, quaere, et refer, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 53. —
b. Poet. (mostly in Ovid), to repeat to one's self, call to mind: tacitāque recentia mente Visa refert, Ov. M. 15, 27: si forte refers, id. Am. 2, 8, 17: haec refer, id. R. Am. 308: saepe refer tecum sceleratae facta puellae, id. ib. 299: mente memor refero, id. M. 15, 451: foeda Lycaoniae referens convivia mensae, id. ib. 1, 165; cf.: illam meminitque refertque, id. ib. 11, 563.—
c. Pregn., to say in return, to rejoin, answer, reply (syn. respondeo): id me non ad meam defensionem attulisse, sed illorum defensioni rettulisse, Cic. Caecin. 29, 85: ego tibi refero, I reply to you, id. ib. 29, 85, § 84: ut si esset dictum, etc., et referret aliquis Ergo, etc., id. Fat. 13, 30: quid a nobis autem refertur, id. Quint. 13, 44: retices; nec mutua nostris Dicta refers, Ov. M. 1, 656; 14, 696: Musa refert, id. ib. 5, 337; id. F. 5, 278: Anna refert, Verg. A. 4, 31: talia voce, id. ib. 1, 94: pectore voces, id. ib. 5, 409: tandem pauca refert, id. ib. 4, 333 et saep. —
d. Publicists' t. t.
(a). To bring, convey, deliver any thing as an official report, to report, announce, notify, = renuntiare: legati haec se ad suos relaturos dixerunt, Caes. B. G. 4, 9; cf.: cujus orationem legati domum referunt, id. B. C. 1, 35: responsa (legati), Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 380, 31: legationem Romam, Liv. 7, 32: mandata ad aliquem, Caes. B. C. 3, 57: responsa, id. B. G. 1, 35; cf.: mandata alicui, id. ib. 1, 37: numerum capitum ad aliquem, id. ib. 2, 33 fin.: rumores excipere et ad aliquem referre, Cic. Deiot. 9, 25; cf. Caes. B. G. 1, 47: Ubii paucis diebus intermissis referunt, Suevos omnes, etc., id. ib. 6, 10; Liv. 3, 38, 12.—
(b). Ad senatum de aliquā re referre (less freq with acc., a rel.-clause, or absol.), to make a motion or proposition in the Senate; to consult, refer to, or lay before the Senate; to move, bring forward, propose: VTI L. PAVLVS C. MARCELLVS COSS... DE CONSVLARIBVS PROVINCIIS AD SENATVM REFERRENT, NEVE QVID PRIVS ... AD SENATVM REFERRENT, NEVE QVID CONIVNCTVM DE EA RE REFERRETVR A CONSVLIBVS, S. C. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 5 sq.: de legibus abrogandis ad senatum referre. Cic. Cornel. 1, Fragm. 8 (p. 448 Orell.); cf.: de quo legando consules spero ad senatum relaturos, id. Imp. Pomp. 19, 58: de ejus honore ad senatum referre, id. Phil. 8, 11, 33: de eā re postulant uti referatur. Itaque consulente Cicerone frequens senatus decernit, etc., Sall. C. 48, 5, 6: rem ad senatum refert, id. ib. 29, 1; cf.: tunc relata ex integro res ad senatum, Liv. 21, 5: rem ad senatum, id. 2, 22: consul convocato senatu refert, quid de his fieri placeat, qui, etc., Sall. C. 50, 3: ut ex litteris ad senatum referretur, impetrari (a consulibus) non potuit. Referunt consules de re publicā, Caes. B. C. 1, 1; cf.: refer, inquis, ad senatum. Non referam, Cic. Cat. 1, 8, 20.— Of other bodies than the Senate (cf.: defero, fero): C. Cassium censorem de signo Concordiae dedicando ad pontificum collegium rettulisse, Cic. Dom. 53, 136: eam rem ad consilium cum rettulisset Fabius. Liv. 24, 45, 2; 30, 4, 9: est quod referam ad consilium, id. 30, 31, 9; 44, 2, 5; Curt. 4, 11, 10.—Per syllepsin: DE EA RE AD SENATVM POPVLVMQVE REFERRI, since referre ad populum was not used in this sense (for ferre ad populum); v. fero, and the foll. γ: de hoc (sc. Eumene) Antigonus ad consilium rettulit, Nep. Eum. 12, 1.—Transf., to make a reference, to refer (class.): de rebus et obscuris et incertis ad Apollinem censeo referendum; ad quem etiam Athenienses publice de majoribus rebus semper rettulerunt, Cic. Div. 1, 54, 122; cf. Nep. Lys. 3; Cic. Quint. 16, 53.— Different from this is, *
(g). Referre ad populum (for denuo ferre), to propose or refer any thing anew to the people (cf. supra, II. B. 2.; v. Krebs, Antibarb. p. 1006): factum est illorum aequitate et sapientiā consulum, ut id, quod senatus decreverat, id postea referendum ad populum non arbitrarentur, Cic. Clu. 49, 137; cf. Att. ap. Non. p. 512, 29; Liv. 22, 20; Val. Max. 8, 10, 1.—
e. A mercantile and publicists' t. t., to note down, enter any thing in writing; to inscribe, register, record, etc.: cum scirem, ita indicium in tabulas publicas relatum, Cic. Sull. 15, 42: in tabulas quodcumque commodum est, id. Fl. 9, 20: nomen in tabulas, in codicem, id. Rosc. Com. 1, 4: quod reliquum in commentarium, id. Att. 7, 3, 7: quid in libellum, id. Phil. 1, 8, 19: tuas epistulas in volumina, i. e. to admit, id. Fam. 16, 17 init.; cf.: orationem in Origines, id. Brut. 23, 89 al.: in reos, in proscriptos referri, to be set down among, id. Rosc. Am. 10, 27: absentem in reos, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 42, § 109; cf.: aliquem inter proscriptos, Suet. Aug. 70: anulos quoque depositos a nobilitate, in annales relatum est, Plin. 33, 1, 6, § 18: senatūs consulta falsa (sc. in aerarium), enter, register, Cic. Fam. 12, 1, 1; id. Phil. 5, 4, 12. —Entirely absol.: ut nec triumviri accipiundo nec scribae referundo sufficerent, Liv. 26, 36 fin.—Here, too, belongs referre rationes or aliquid (in rationibus, ad aerarium, ad aliquem, alicui), to give, present, or render an account: rationes totidem verbis referre ad aerarium, Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 2; and rationes referre alone: in rationibus referendis ... rationum referendarum jus, etc., id. ib. 5, 20, 1; id. Pis. 25, 61; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 30, § 77; 2, 3, 71, § 167: referre rationes publicas ad Caesarem cum fide, Caes. B. C. 2, 20 fin.: si hanc ex fenore pecuniam populo non rettuleris, reddas societati, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 71, § 167: (pecuniam) in aerarium, Liv. 37, 57, 12; cf.: pecuniam operi publico, to charge to, i. e. to set down as applied to, Cic. Fl. 19, 44.— So, too, acceptum and in acceptum referre, to place to one's credit, in a lit. and trop. sense (v. accipio).— Hence, transf.: aliquem (aliquid) in numero (as above, in rationibus), in numerum, etc., to count or reckon a person or thing among: Democritus, qui imagines eorumque circuitus in deorum numero refert, Cic. N. D. 1, 12, 29: (Caesar, Claudius) in deorum numerum relatus est, Suet. Caes. 88; id. Claud. 45: Ponticus Heraclides terram et caelum refert in deos, Cic. N. D. 1, 13, 34: nostri oratorii libri in Eundem librorum numerum referendi videntur, id. Div. 2, 1, 4: hoc nomen in codicem relatum, id. Rosc. Com. B. and K. (al. in codice).—With inter (postAug. and freq.): ut inter deos referretur (August.), Suet. Aug. 97: diem inter festos, nefastos, Tac. A. 13, 41 fin.: hi tamen inter Germanos referuntur, id. G. 46; Suet. Claud. 11; id. Tib. 53: dumque refert inter meritorum maxima, demptos Aesonis esse situs, Ov. M. 7, 302: intellectum est, quod inter divos quoque referretur, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 14: inter sidera referre, Hyg. Fab. 192: inter praecipua crudelitatis indicia referendus, Val. Max. 9, 2, ext. 5: inter insulas, Plin. 5, 9, 9, § 48: dicebat quasdam esse quaestiones, quae deberent inter res judicatas referri, Sen. Contr. 2, 11, 12: eodem Q. Caepionem referrem, I should place in the same category, Cic. Brut. 62, 223.—
4. Referre aliquid ad aliquid, to trace back, ascribe, refer a thing to any thing: qui pecudum ritu ad voluptatem omnia referunt, Cic. Lael. 9, 32: omnia ad igneam vim, id. N. D. 3, 14, 35: omnia ad incolumitatem et ad libertatem suam, id. Rep. 1, 32, 49; 1, 26, 41: in historiā quaeque ad veritatem, in poëmate pleraque ad delectationem, id. Leg. 1, 1, 5; id. Off. 1, 16, 52 et saep. al.: hunc ipsum finem definiebas id esse, quo omnia, quae recte fierent, referrentur, neque id ipsum usquam referretur, id. Fin. 2, 2, 5; cf. nusquam, id. ib. 1, 9, 29: ad commonendum oratorem, quo quidque referat, id. de Or. 1, 32, 145: hinc omne principium, huc refer exitum, Hor. C. 3, 6, 6.— With dat.: cujus adversa pravitati ipsius, prospera ad fortunam referebat, Tac. A. 14, 38 fin. — In Tac. once with in: quidquid ubique magnificum est, in claritatem ejus (sc. Herculis) referre consensimus, Tac. G. 34.—Rarely of persons; as: tuum est Caesar, quid nunc mihi animi sit, ad te ipsum referre, Cic. Deiot. 2, 7.—Absol.: ita inserere oportet referentem ad fructum, meliore genere ut sit surculus, etc., one who looks to or cares for the fruit, Varr. R. R. 1, 40, 6.—
5. Culpam in aliquem referre, to throw the blame upon, accuse, hold responsible for, etc. (post-Aug.): hic, quod in adversis rebis solet fieri, alius in alium culpam referebant, Curt. 4, 3, 7; Aug. contr. Man. 2, 17, 25 Hier. Epp. 1, 9 fin.: cf.: augere ejus, in quem referet crimen, culpam, Cic. Inv. 2, 28, 83: causa ad matrem referebatur, Tac. A. 6, 49: causam abscessus ad Sejani artes, id. ib. 4, 57.

Origins

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinreferō

Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti Proto-Italic *ferō Latin ferō Latin referō From re- + ferō (“bear, carry”).

Descendants
  • Catalanreferir
  • Catalanrelatar
  • Englishrefer
  • Englishrelate
  • Frenchréférer
  • Frenchrelater
  • Germanreferieren
  • Italianriferire
  • Portuguesereferir
  • Portugueserelatar

In English words that came into English from referō

  • relativerelātīvus
  • referencereferentia
  • referreferre
  • refereereferō
  • relationrelātiō
  • relaterelātus
  • referendumreferendus
  • referriblereferō
  • relatumrelatum

Quick answers

What does referō mean in Latin?
referō, a verb, means “to bear, bring, drive, or carry back, off, or away; to give back, give up, return, restore, pay back, repay, render, pay in return, show one’s gratitude; to bring back, return, answer, echo, resound”.
What are the principal parts of referō?
referō, referre, rettulī, relātum (third conjugation, suppletive).
How do you pronounce referō?
In classical Latin, [ˈrɛ.fɛ.roː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈrɛː.fe.ro].
Where does referō come from?
Proto-Italic *wre- → Latin referō.
Which English words come from referō?
English words that go back to Latin referō include reference, refer, referee, referrible, relative and relate.