A referee.
"The ref blew his whistle to signal a foul during the final seconds of the match."
In plain English: A ref is an official who watches a game to make sure everyone follows the rules and decides when play stops.
"The referee gave us a minute to fix the problem before starting the match again."
To referee; to act as a referee in a sport or game.
"The seasoned former player volunteered to ref the youth soccer match on Saturday afternoon."
In plain English: To ref something is to make it fresh again by adding air or heat so it tastes good once more.
"The manager will ref the game if play is interrupted by rain."
Usage: Use this informal verb when describing someone who officiates a sports match, such as saying the coach will ref the final game today. It is commonly used in casual conversation but should be avoided in formal writing where "referee" is preferred.
Initialism of Research Excellence Framework: a system for assessing the quality of research in higher-education institutions.
"The local football team's new striker, who shares the last name Ref, scored a hat trick in their opening match."
A surname.
Derived from the English abbreviation for referee, this term originally referred to an official in sports who enforces rules but has evolved to denote a short rest period or a quick return trip. Its usage is firmly rooted in American and British sporting dialects.