26984 words

return

50 definitions • 80 examples
1
to come or go back to a previous place:

Examples:

return to Odysseus returned home/returned to his home after many years of travelling.
She left South Africa at the age of 15 and has never returned.
[ + to infinitive ] David returned (from work) to find his house had burned down.
2
If people or things return to a previous condition, they go back to that condition:

Examples:

3
If you return to an activity or subject, you start doing it or talking about it again:

Examples:

Gandhi encouraged Indians to return to spinning their own yarn.
4
to give, do, or get something after something similar has been given or done to you:

Examples:

to return an invitation/greeting
I returned his stare.
return the favour I gave her a ride when her car broke down and now she is returning the favour (= doing something to help me in exchange).
return fire The terrorists started shooting and the police returned fire (= started shooting back).
5
to reply to someone's question or request:

Examples:

His representatives did not return a request for comment.
She hadn't returned their earlier queries because, she said, she had already explained herself clearly.
6
to give a particular amount of profit:

Examples:

My investments return a high rate of interest.
7
to send, take, give, put, etc. something back to where it came from:

Examples:

return something to something The new TV broke so they returned it to the shop.
He returned two books he had borrowed from me in 2003.
She carefully returned the book to its place on the shelf.
8
to bring someone back from somewhere:

Examples:

We're all hoping that Jill will be returned safely to her family.
9
in sports such as tennis, to hit the ball back to your opponent
10
in football, to catch a punted or kicked ball and carry it back towards the opponent's goal:

Examples:

He caught the punt in the end zone and returned it for 25 yards.
11
to happen again:

Examples:

You must go to the doctor if the pain returns.
12
to decide and say if you think someone is guilty or not guilty, or what punishment the person will be given in a court of law:

Examples:

return a verdict/sentence of The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
13
to formally accuse someone of something in a court of law:

Examples:

His case will proceed to a grand jury, which must decide whether to return an indictment.
14
to elect someone to be a member of parliament, or to another political job:

Examples:

It was expected that he would be returned as premier.
15
an occasion when someone goes or comes back to a place where they were before:

Examples:

return (from) The whole town came out to celebrate his return (from the war).
on someone's return On her return, she went straight to the office.
16
an occasion when you start to do or have something again:

Examples:

return to Some environmentalists argue for a return to a pre-industrial society.
return to power/office Most people have welcomed her return to power/office.
17
a ticket for travel to a place and back again:

Examples:

A return to Birmingham, please.
18
in American football, the act of running towards the opponent's goal with the ball after getting possession of it:

Examples:

He began the game with an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
The cornerback recovered the ball and brought it back for a return of 12 yards.
19
in exchange:

Examples:

in return for Some tenants get rent reductions in return for help managing the building.
20
the act of giving, doing, or receiving something in exchange for something:

Examples:

return of Several soldiers were wounded in the return of fire.
21
the profit that you get from an investment:

Examples:

return on The return on the money we invested was very low.
22
an occasion when something starts to happen or be used again:

Examples:

return of/to Will we ever see the return of/a return to comfortable fashion clothes?
23
the key on a computer keyboard that you press in order to say that the words or numbers on the screen are correct, or that an instruction should be performed, or in order to move down a line on the screen:

Examples:

Press return/the return key twice to leave a blank line.
24
the act of giving, putting, or sending something back:

Examples:

the return of the stolen goods
25
the act of hitting the ball back to your opponent in sports such as tennis:

Examples:

Chang's return of serve was powerful.
26
goods that have been taken back to the shop where they were bought by customers because they are damaged or unsuitable:

Examples:

27
the votes that are returned, or the results of the voting, in an election:
28
in the first post collection that leaves after you receive a letter:

Examples:

She answered my letter by return.
29
The return part of a journey is the part in which you go back to the place where you started:

Examples:

return journey The return journey took longer because the train was rerouted.
30
to come or go back to a previous place, subject, activity, or condition:

Examples:

He returned to New York last week.
He worked at other jobs but kept returning to mining.
She was returning home from a business trip when the plane crashed.
31
to put, send, or give something back to where it came from:

Examples:

Emily returned the blouse because it didn’t fit.
32
to give, do, or get something in exchange:

Examples:

She just doesn’t return phone calls.
33
to decide on something such as a judgment or decision:

Examples:

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
34
helping something to go or be sent back to where it came from:

Examples:

return postage
35
A return address is the address from which a letter is being sent.
36
if a business or an investment returns an amount of money, it produces a profit:

Examples:

Last year all 60 branches of the business returned a profit.
The account is low-risk but returns just 0.5% interest.
37
to take or send a product back to the company that sold it to you. You usually do this if you want them to replace the product or to give you back your money:

Examples:

Customers who return goods must present a receipt to get cash or credit.
38
to give back money that will not be used or that should not have been paid:

Examples:

If the sale does not go through, the agent is obliged by law to return the deposit.
The department will return any overpayment or set it against your next tax bill.
39
to phone someone who has called you earlier:

Examples:

I left several messages on his answer-phone, but he never returned my call.
He did not return the multiple messages left on his cell phone.
40
to go back to an earlier situation or to start doing something again:

Examples:

return to sth The refinery may not return to full production until later in the summer.
Most women return to work at the end of their maternity leave.
return to growth/profit The business is expected to return to growth next year.
41
to send a cheque back to the person who wrote it, usually because they do not have enough money in the bank to pay the whole amount:

Examples:

The bank returned our cheque for lack of funds.
42
to give an official opinion in a court of law about whether someone is guilty of a crime:

Examples:

The jury returned a verdict of 'not guilty.'
43
the amount of profit made by an investment or a business activity:

Examples:

The program guarantees lenders a return of 10% interest.
A fixed-rate investment will give you below-average returns.
return on sth We need to monitor our return on advertising.
make/see a return (on sth) They need to charge prices of over $20 a barrel in order to make a return.
If the market improves, we can make a return of $10,000 on our investment.
a positive/negative return
a good/high return I want an investment which offers a good return.
a low/modest return
produce/offer/yield a return
44
a product that is returned to a company because the buyer is not satisfied with it, or the act of returning products to a company:

Examples:

Check that there is a return policy in case there is a problem with the goods that you buy.
45
an official document with details of your income that you send to the government tax department each year so that income tax can be calculated:

Examples:

It is possible to file your return online.
When you have submitted your return, the Revenue promises you instant acknowledgement of its receipt.
complete/do your return
46
a situation in which someone or something goes back to an earlier position or activity:

Examples:

a return to profit/growth/stability
The last year has seen a return to normal in the banking sector.
47
the key on a computer keyboard that you press to give an instruction, or to start a new line in a document:

Examples:

Type in your name and then press return.
48
a ticket for a journey to a place and back again:

Examples:

return to somewhere I need a return to Kings Cross Station.
49

Examples:

We received an invoice by return of post.
An answer by return would be appreciated.
50
relating to a journey to a particular place and back again:

Examples:

a return journey/ticket/fare

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