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return Definition

re·turn (ri tʉrn)

intransitive verb

  1. to go or come back, as to a former place, condition, practice, opinion, etc.
  2. to go back in thought or speech to return to the subject
  3. to revert to a former owner
  4. to answer; reply; retort

Etymology: ME retournen < OFr retourner: see re- & turn

transitive verb

  1. to bring, send, carry, or put back; restore or replace
  2. to give, send, or do (something equivalent to what has been given, sent, or done); give, send, or do in requital or reciprocation to return a visit, compliment, etc.
  3. to produce (a profit, revenue, etc.); yield
    1. to report or announce officially or formally
    2. to turn in (a writ, account, or statement) to a judge or other official
  4. to elect or reelect, as to a legislature
  5. to replace (a weapon) in its holder
  6. to turn back or in the opposite direction
  7. to reflect (sound, light, etc.)
  8. Archit. to turn away from, or cause to continue on at an angle to, the previous line of direction
  9. Card Games to respond to (one's partner's lead) with a lead of the same suit
  10. Law to render (a verdict)
  11. Sports to hit, throw, or run back (a ball)

noun

  1. a coming or going back, as to a former place, condition, etc.
  2. a bringing, sending, carrying, or putting back; restoration or replacement
    1. something returned
    2. unsold merchandise returned to the distributor by a retailer or merchandise returned to a retailer by a purchaser
  3. a coming back again; reappearance; recurrence many happy returns of the day
  4. something done or given as an equivalent for that received; repayment; requital; reciprocation
    1. profit made on an exchange of goods
    2. yield, profit, or revenue, as from labor, investments, etc.
    3. yield per unit as compared to cost per unit; rate of yield
  5. an answer; reply; retort
  6. a report; esp.,
    1. an official or formal report, as of the financial condition of a company
    2. a report on a count of votes at polling places election returns
    3. a form on which taxable income is reported and tax is computed
  7. Archit.
    1. the continuation, as of a molding, colonnade, etc., in a different direction, often at a right angle
    2. a bend or turn, as in a line, wall, etc.
    3. the section between two such bends
  8. Card Games a lead in response to one's partner's lead
  9. Law
    1. the bringing or sending back of a writ, subpoena, summons, etc. to the proper court or official
    2. a certified report by an election official, assessor, etc.
    3. a certificate or report endorsed on any such document
  10. Sports
    1. a hitting or throwing back of a ball
    2. a ball so returned
    3. a running back of a football received on a kick or by an interception

Etymology: ME retorn < the v.

adjective

  1. of or for a return or returning return postage
  2. given, sent, done, etc. in return a return match
  3. occurring again a return performance
  4. returning or returned
  5. changing or reversing direction or formed by a change or reversal in direction, as a bend in a road

  • retune
return Related Forms
re·turner noun
return Idioms

in return

as a return; as an equivalent, response, etc.

return Synonyms

return

modif.

coming back, repeat, repeating, repetitive, recurring, intermittent, reappearing, sent back, answering, replying, retorting, rotating, turning, rebounding, recurrent, round-trip; see also repeated 1.

return Synonyms

return

n.

  1. The act of coming again

    entrance, homecoming, entry, reentry, revisitation, arrival, coming, appearance, reappearance, occurrence, recurrence, reoccurrence, repetition, reversion, renewal, resurgence, bounding back, recovery, reemergence, resurfacing, recoiling, rotating; see also sense 2.

    Antonyms departure*, exit, going out.

  2. The act of being returned

    restoration, restoring, restitution, replacement, giving back, recompense, recompensing, reimbursement, repayment, acknowledgment, answer, rejoinder, reaction, reciprocation, reversion, reverberation, rebound, recoil, reconsideration; see also sense 1; answer 1, reparation 2.

    Antonyms disappearance, taking, loss*.

  3. Proceeds

    profit, income, results, gain, avail, revenue, advantage, yield, accrual, accruement, interest.

    Antonyms failure*, loss, disadvantage.

  4. Report; often plural

    account, statement, tabulation; see record 1, records, statement 3.

in return

in exchange, back, as payment, as repayment, in compensation, as a reward, in response, in retaliation.

return Synonyms

return

v.

  1. To go back

    come back, come again, go again, recur, reappear, reoccur, repeat, revert, reconsider, reenter, reexamine, reinspect, bounce back up, resurface, turn back, retrace one's steps, turn, rotate, revolve, renew, revive, recover, regain, rebound, circle back, double back, backtrack, reverse, move back, reel back, reverberate, repercuss, recoil, retrace, hark back to, revisit, retire, retreat.

    Antonyms leave, advance, go forward.

  2. To give back

    put back, send back, restore, replace, bring back, take back, restitute, render, reseat, reestablish, reinstate, react, recompense, refund, repay, make restitution, reciprocate, requite, retaliate, exchange, hand back, roll back, toss back, thrust back.

    Antonyms hold*, keep, hold back.

  3. To answer

    reply, respond, retort; see answer 1.

  4. To repay

    reimburse, recompense, refund; see repay 1.

  5. To yield a profit

    pay off, show profit, pay dividends; see pay 2, yield 2.

  6. To speak formally

    deliver, pass, state; see declare 1.

  7. To reflect

    echo, sound, mirror; see reflect 2, 3.

return Law Definition

n

  1. An officer of the court’s bringing back a court-issued document, such as a writ, and reporting how the officer had done or why he had not done what that document had ordered.
  2. An income tax return.
return Usage Examples

Object

  • home: I returned home on Tuesday & did not see her again till Thursday the 27 March.
  • verdict: The coroner eventually returned a verdict of murder by persons unknown.
  • questionnaire: Of the study population, 90 subjects completed and returned the questionnaire.
  • item: You will need to return items at your own cost.

Preposition: on

  • investment: Return on investment is now the key focus for most users.

Converse of object

  • maximize: An IVA reflects favorably on an individual's financial responsibility by endeavoring to maximize the return to the creditors.
  • diminish: Nobody sees through lazy, derivative programs sharper, and nobody picks up on diminishing returns quicker, than the ordinary TV viewer.

Adjective modifier

  • annual: In addition, the company secretary assists the company with filing annual returns to the Companies Registry.
  • welcome: September sees the Rover 800 Coupé make a welcome return.

Adjective complement

  • false: Otherwise it returns false ( specifically, the empty string ).

Modifies a noun

  • journey: On the return journey the bus will be parked inside the school campus at the Senior School.
  • flight: Carbon cost of return flight per family: 2.4 tons of CO2.
  • postage: More information here Loans No charge is made for lending videos, although members are required to pay return postage.
  • trip: Above the lock there are handy moorings for shopping in the town or for waiting for the lock to open on the return trip.
  • ticket: Blue Anchor I arrived at Blue Anchor well before the rest of the party, and purchased return train tickets to Minehead.

Infinitive complement

  • haunt: They won't return to haunt me, as long ago I came to terms with the experience.

Preposition: of

  • refugee: She has opposed moves for the compulsory return of refugees.

Preposition: with

  • vengeance: So the evil spirit can return with a vengeance because his life is empty.

Noun used with modifier

  • tax: For more details see the article ' Sending back your self-assessment tax return ' .
  • carriage: Paragraphs Unlike documents in most word processors, carriage returns in HTML files aren't significant.
return Quotes

Theyare our gates to the glorious and the unknown. Through them we pass out into adventure and sunshine, to them, alas! we return.

—Forster, E(dward) M(organ)

I came through and I shall return.

—MacArthur, Douglas

Dark and terrible beyond any season within my remembrance of political affairs was the day of their flight.Far darkerand moreterrible will be the dayof their return.

—1st Baron

Books, like men their authors, have no more than one wayofcoming intothe world, but there areten thousand to go out of it, and return no more.

—Swift,Jonathan

Foras therain cometh down, and thesnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and makethit bring forthand bud, that it maygiveseedtothe sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

—Bible (Old Testament)