26984 words

returning

15 definitions • 22 examples
1
present participle of
2
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.
3
If people or things return to a previous condition, they go back to that condition:

Examples:

4
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.
5
to give, do, or get something after something similar has been given or done to you:

Examples:

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).
6
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.
7
to give a particular amount of profit:

Examples:

8
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.
9
to bring someone back from somewhere:

Examples:

We're all hoping that Jill will be returned safely to her family.
10
in sports such as tennis, to hit the ball back to your opponent
11
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.
12
to happen again:

Examples:

You must go to the doctor if the pain returns.
13
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:

14
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.
15
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.

Navigation