Using "reference" as a verb

Hi,
Yes, it's fine.

But I'm not sure what 'guidewords' are. Where did he find them?

Clive

Sorry - "guide words" is two words. Those are the words at the top of the dictionary page that indicate which words are found on those pages. Thank you for your response. I guess it bothered me because it sounds too much like using "conference" as a verb -- "She conferenced with the parent about her child's performance." It just makes more sense to me to use "conferred" there.

Than

Hi,

No, Canada.

Clive

No, your friend should say "He referred to a dictionary." To reference means "to supply with a reference" or "to cite as a reference."

Thank you!

Yes indeed thank you for holding the line. Sadly, a lot of less educated people than you would disagree; 'to reference' is gaining popular ground as a proper usage where it simply means 'to refer to', and nothing to do with references in a volume. I sense you would agree with me that this is ignorant, born, I think, of a liking for the pomposity of it in someone who is shaky in English and wishe

Anonymous, you need to consult some dictionaries.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reference

: the act of mentioning something in speech or in writing : the act of referring to something or someone

This sounds more right.

"This sounds more right"

Does it? All because the president of the United States of America pronounces words incorrectly, doesn't make it right ha ha. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucular#Notable_users

All because the wrong use of English words becomes popular, doesn't make it right

"Guide words" are the words at the top of the pages of a dictionary--the first and last word of the page.