Meaning of "reference to"

[all potted out]

"During the 19th century, even a glimpse of ankle was thought deeply shocking and references to legs were considered impolite."

Does "references to" mean talk/write about?

[canadian45]

Yes.

[Alan]

Hi Apo,

The word reference is a noun and the verb form is refer. In your sentence references suggests remarks about, comments about. If you used that as a verb , you would say:If you made remarks about/commented on/ talked about/wrote about legs ...

A
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[Tamara]

Hi

Can reference in this context be (also, in addition to 'explicit mentioning') considered as an equivalent for 'hinting at' (i.e., not direct 'talking', not 'open' comments or remarks about)?

(Just from the fact that 'references' can be direct, and/or indirect.)
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[Alan]

Morning Tamara,

I think reference is probably more explicit than you are suggesting. In other words if you refer to something/somebody, you mention the name of the person or thing. Possibly the word that might give this sense of indirectness is 'inference', which is something you deduce from what has been said. A sentence beginning: 'The inference from what you have said is that you believe him to be a liar' means that the speaker is deducing from what you are saying and suggesting that you are not actually saying he is a liar. 'Reference' after all is used in business letters when you are referring say to another letter as in: 'With reference to your letter of ...' and of course it appears in abbreviation at the top of a letter as: Ref:

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[Tamara]

Morning Alan,

OK. Thanks.

By the way (sorry for the Sunday-morning frivolity ), in my first language it would be some other words, a bit less 'anatomic' and a bit more flippant than just 'legs' and 'ankles'.
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[Yankee]

[Pond969]

In the sentence you quote 'references to' is equivalent to 'mentions of'. The writer means that any written or spoken reference to legs could cause offence.