think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another; "This plant can be referred to a known species"
send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision; "refer a patient to a specialist"; "refer a bill to a committee"
have to do with or be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments"
a belief that can guide behavior; "the architect has a theory that more is less"; "they killed him on the theory that dead men tell no tales"
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"
a punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home; "the detention of tardy pupils"
a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"