Pronunciations (7)
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/ɹɪˈtɜːn/
Pronunciation notes
- Australia
- Received-Pronunciation
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/ɹɪˈtɝn/
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
- General-American
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/ɹəˈtɚːn/
Pronunciation notes
- Ireland
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/ɹəˈtʊːɹn/
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/ɾɪˈtə(ɾ)n/
Pronunciation notes
- South-Asia
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ɹɪˈtɜːn
Pronunciation notes
- GB
-
ɹɪˈtɝn
Pronunciation notes
- US
Verb
To come or go back (to a place or person).
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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We return home tomorrow.
Although the birds fly north for the summer, they return here in winter.
More examples (1)
The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.
“I came through and I shall return,” General MacArthur declared when he spoke at Terowie of the beleagured Philippines.
More examples (1)
As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.
To go back in thought, narration, or argument.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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To return to my story[…]
To recur; to come again.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Winter returns every year.
To turn back, retreat.
Usage- Intransitive
- Obsolete
- Examples
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‘I suppose here is none woll be glad to returne – and as for me,’ seyde Sir Cador, ‘I had lever dye this day that onys to turne my bak.’
To turn (something) round.
Usage- Obsolete
- Transitive
- Examples
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Whan Kyng Marke harde hym sey that worde, he returned his horse and abode by hym.
To place or put back something where it had been.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Please return your hands to your lap.
Strain the stock and return it to the pan.
To give something back to its original holder or owner.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Please return the book next week.
You should return the library book within one month.
To give in requital or recompense; to requite.
- Examples
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[…]the Lord ſhall returne thy wickedneſſe vpon thine owne head.
To reciprocate (a visit or telephone call, electronic message, etc.).
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Hello, I’m just returning your call. What did you want to talk about?
I wrote to my ex-wife but she won't return my emails.
To take back something to a vendor for a complete or partial refund.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Can I return these shoes?
Yeah, it’s $600,000 but, if it doesn’t work, you can always return it. As long as it’s undamaged and in the original packaging, I’ll give you a full refund.
To bat the ball back over the net in response to a serve.
- Examples
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The player couldn’t return the serve because it was so fast.
To play a card as a result of another player’s lead.
- Examples
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If one players plays a trump, the others must return a trump.
To throw a ball back to the wicket-keeper (or a fielder at that position) from somewhere in the field.
To say in reply; to respond.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to return an answer; to return thanks; “Do it yourself!” she returned.
More examples (1)
“No!” returned the spy. “I throw up. I confess that we were so unpopular with the outrageous mob, that I only got away from England at the risk of being ducked to death […]
“Ah my good friend, I do look out,” the young man returned while Maisie helped herself afresh to bread and butter.
To relinquish control to the calling procedure.
Usage- Intransitive
To pass (data) back to the calling procedure.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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This function returns the number of files in the directory.
To retort; to throw back.
Usage- Dated
- Transitive
- Examples
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to return the lie
And novv, if you are a Malitious Reader, I expect you ſhould return upon me, that I affect to be thought more Impartial than I am.
To report, or bring back and make known.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to return the result of an election
And all the people anſwered together, [...] and Moſes returned the wordes of the people vnto the Lord.
To elect to a certain office.
Usage- Commonwealth usage
- broadly
- Dated
- in the US
- Examples
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he was returned as a Member of Parliament
To give a thrust or cut after parrying a sword-thrust.
Noun
The act of returning.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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We are waiting for her return.
I expect the house to be spotless upon my return.
I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railroad station.
More examples (1)
[…] of the existence or nonexistence of parental intent to abandon a subject minor child, whether the best interests and welfare of such minor child will be served by taking custody from the parents, and whether return of a child to the parents would be detrimental to such child.
A return ticket.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Do you want a one-way or a return?
An item that is returned, e.g. due to a defect.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Most product returns to the top retailers in the USA (either direct from the consumer or through non-sales) will be taken back by the original suppliers for rework or disposal.
An answer.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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a return to one’s question
An account, or formal report, of an action performed, of a duty discharged, of facts or statistics, etc.; especially, in the plural, a set of tabulated statistics prepared for general information.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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election returns; a return of the amount of goods produced or sold
More examples (1)
The other returns having come in, the result of the poll, that Sir James Graham had been superseded by Major Aglionby, was declared at Carlisle soon after 11 a.m.
Gain or loss from an investment.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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It yielded a return of 5%.
from the few hours we spend in prayer and the exercises of a pious life, the return is great and profitable
More examples (2)
Liverpool have now won only five of their 17 home league games this season. It is a poor return for a team of Liverpool’s pedigree and resources but, once again, Kenny Dalglish’s team were the instigators of their own downfall as chance after chance went begging.
Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.
A report of income submitted to a government for purposes of specifying exact tax payment amounts; a tax return.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Hand in your return within 90 days of the end of the tax year.
A carriage return character.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The act of relinquishing control to the calling procedure.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A return value: the data passed back from a called procedure.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A return pipe, returning fluid to a boiler or other central plant (compare with flow pipe, which carries liquid away from a central plant).
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The boiler technician had to cut out the heating return to access the safety valve.
A roadway along which foul air travels from the face on its way out of the mine.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The act of catching a ball after a punt and running it back towards the opposing team.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A throw from a fielder to the wicket-keeper or to another fielder at the wicket.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A short perpendicular extension of a desk, usually slightly lower.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The continuation in a different direction, most often at a right angle, of a building, face of a building, or any member, such as a moulding; applied to the shorter in contradistinction to the longer.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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A facade of sixty feet east and west has a return of twenty feet north and south.
Noun
document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability
- Synonyms
- Examples
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his gross income was enough that he had to file a tax return
a coming to or returning home
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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on his return from Australia we gave him a welcoming party
the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction
- Synonyms
getting something back again
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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upon the restitution of the book to its rightful owner the child was given a tongue lashing
the act of going back to a prior location
- Examples
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they set out on their return to the base camp
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the average return was about 5%
happening again (especially at regular intervals)
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the return of spring
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
- Examples
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it brought a sharp rejoinder from the teacher
the key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a reciprocal group action
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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in return we gave them as good as we got
a tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he won the point on a cross-court return
(American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble
- Broader terms
the act of someone appearing again
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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his reappearance as Hamlet has been long awaited
Verb
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
- Examples
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return to your native land
the professor returned to his teaching position after serving as Dean
give back
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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render money
go back to a previous state
- Broader terms
- Examples
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We reverted to the old rules
go back to something earlier
- Examples
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This harks back to a previous remark of his
bring back to the point of departure
- Synonyms
return in kind
- Broader terms
- Examples
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return a compliment
return her love
make a return
- Examples
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return a kickback
answer back
be restored
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Her old vigor returned
pay back
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Please refund me my money
pass down
- Broader terms
- Examples
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render a verdict
deliver a judgment
elect again
- Broader terms
be inherited by
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The estate fell to my sister
The land returned to the family
More examples (1)
The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead
return to a previous position; in mathematics
- Examples
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The point returned to the interior of the figure
give or supply
- Examples
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The cow brings in 5 liters of milk
This year's crop yielded 1,000 bushels of corn
More examples (1)
The estate renders some revenue for the family
submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Gov. Chris Christie has returned a bill to the New Jersey Assembly on increased gun regulations