v. & n.
--v. (transferred, transferring)
1. tr. (often foll. by to) a convey, remove, or hand over (a thing etc.) (transferred the bag from the car to the station). b make over the possession of (property, a ticket, rights, etc.) to a person (transferred his membership to his son).
2 tr. & intr. change or move to another group, club, department, etc.
3 intr. change from one station, route, etc., to another on a journey.
4 tr. a convey (a drawing etc.) from one surface to another, esp. to a lithographic stone by means of transfer-paper. b remove (a picture) from one surface to another, esp. from wood or a wall to canvas.
5 tr. change (the sense of a word etc.) by extension or metaphor.
--n.
1. the act or an instance of transferring or being transferred.
2 a a design etc. conveyed or to be conveyed from one surface to another. b a small usu. coloured picture or design on paper, which is transferable to another surface.
3 a football player etc. who is or is to be transferred.
4 a the conveyance of property, a right, etc. b a document effecting this.
5 US a ticket allowing a journey to be continued on another route etc.
Phrases and idioms:
transfer-book a register of transfers of property, shares, etc. transfer company US a company conveying passengers or luggage between stations. transfer fee a fee paid for the transfer of esp. a professional footballer. transfer ink ink used for making designs on a lithographic stone or transfer-paper. transfer list a list of footballers available for transfer. transfer-paper specially coated paper to receive the impression of transfer ink and transfer it to stone. transfer RNA RNA conveying an amino-acid molecule from the cytoplasm to a ribosome for use in protein synthesis etc.
Derivatives:
transferee n. transferor esp. Law n. transferrer n.
Etymology: ME f. F transf{eacute}rer or L transferre (as TRANS-, ferre lat- bear)