- (also informal ref)the official who controls the game in some sports
- He was sent off for arguing with the referee.
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsb2- The referee awarded a free kick to the home team.
- The referee booked three players for offensive behaviour.
- an assistant referee flagged for a penalty
- decisions taken by the match referee
- my 20 years as a professional referee
- Graham is a qualified football referee.
- The referee blew his whistle and called the foul.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- basketball
- boxing
- football
- …
- award somebody something
- blow his/her/the whistle
- stop something
- …
- the referee’s decision
- (British English) a person who gives information about your character and ability, usually in a letter, for example when you are applying for a job
- The principal often acts as a referee for his students.
- His former employer agreed to act as a referee for him.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- academic
- act as
- be
- referee for
- a person who is asked to settle an argument
- to act as a referee between the parties involved
- a person who reads and checks the quality of an academic article before it is published
- All papers are sent out to external referees.
Check pronunciation:
referee