Alludes to Washington and Lincoln, for instance, not taking the fourth? (5)
I believe the answer is:
cites
If this is the answer I cannot explain how the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cites that I've seen before include "Quotes as authority" , "Quotes; names" , "Mentions as an example" , "Refers to" , "Quotes (an author)" .)