# referee

Pronunciation: say "ref-uh-REE" US /ˌɹɛfəˈɹiː/, UK /ˌɹɛf.əˈɹiː/

## Noun

1. An official, similar to an umpire or judge, who makes sure the rules are followed during a game.
   - Simple: An official who watches a game and makes sure everyone follows the rules.
   - _The referee waved play on despite loud appeals for a penalty._
   - _Hockey referees skate several miles during a single game._
3. A person who steps in to settle a dispute between two parties.
   - Simple: A person who helps two sides end an argument fairly.
   - _The HR director served as referee in the dispute between the two departments._
   - _Neighbors asked him to be the referee in their long-running argument over the fence line._
4. An expert who evaluates the manuscript of an article or book and judges whether it should be published.
   - Simple: An expert who reads an article or book and decides if it should be published.
   - _Both referees recommended revisions before the paper could be accepted._
   - _The editor asked a third referee to settle the disagreement between the first two reviews._
5. A person who writes a letter of reference or provides one by phone for a job or school applicant; the US English term is reference. *(UK)*
   - Simple: A person who writes or speaks about you to help you get a job or a place at school.
   - _His former manager acted as his referee and praised his work over the phone._
   - _University applications in Britain usually ask for at least one academic referee._

## Verb

2. To act as a referee; to officiate a game or judge a dispute or submission.
   - Simple: To watch a game and make sure the players follow the rules.
   - _A retired player agreed to referee the championship match._
   - _She refereed her first professional game last season._

## Origin

It comes through Middle English from Old French referer ("to relate, to refer"), from Latin referre ("to carry back, to report"); formed as if from refer + -ee, meaning the person to whom something is referred for consideration.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/referee (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).