「言う」「話す」の英単語 13 ― refer

J→E basics

今日はrefer toの用法を扱います。

If you refer to a particular subject or person, you talk about them or mention them.

  • In his speech, he referred to a recent trip to Canada.

★「〜について触れる」「話す」。to direct attention usually by clear and specific mention (しばしば明確かつ具体的に言及することで注意を向けること―Merriam Webster)

以下、ほかの用法。

If you refer to someone or something as a particular thing, you use a particular word, expression, or name to mention or describe them.　

  • Marcia had referred to him as a dear friend.(マーシャは彼を親愛なる友達と呼んだ）　
  • Our economy is referred to as a free market.(私たちの経済は自由市場と呼ばれる）

★refer to A as Bで「〜を...と呼ぶ」という意味。

If a word refers to a particular thing, situation, or idea, it describes it in some way.

  • The term electronics refers to electrically-induced action. (エレクトロニクスという用語は、電気により引き起こされた作用を指す）

★単語の定義に使う。

If you refer to a book or other source of information, you look at it in order to find something out.　
★（短い時間）「〜を参照する」。to have recourse : glance briefly（頼ること：ちらっと見ること）

次回は他動詞のreferを扱います。