return

present singular third person returns · participle present returning · participle past returned · past returned · first person past singular returned · archaic present second person singular returnest · past second person singular returned · archaic past second person singular returnedst · present singular third person returns · archaic present singular third person returneth · past singular third person returned · past plural returned · past subjunctive returned · participle present returning · participle past returned · alternative obsolete returne

1. intransitiveTo come or go back (to a place or person).

   Although the birds fly north for the summer, they return here in winter.

   3 more examples

   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.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 58

   “I came through and I shall return,” General MacArthur declared when he spoke at Terowie of the beleagured Philippines.

   1942, “‘I Came Through; I Shall Return”, in The Advertiser

   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.

   1963, Margery Allingham, “Meeting Point”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 232

2. intransitiveTo go back in thought, narration, or argument.

   To return to my story[…]

3. intransitiveTo recur; to come again.

   Winter returns every year.

4. intransitiveobsoleteTo turn back, retreat.

   ‘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.’

   1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC

5. obsoletetransitiveTo turn (something) round.

   Whan Kyng Marke harde hym sey that worde, he returned his horse and abode by hym.

   1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum xiij”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book X, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC

6. transitiveTo place or put back something where it had been.

   Please return your hands to your lap.

   1 more example

   Strain the stock and return it to the pan.

7. transitiveTo give something back to its original holder or owner.

   You should return the library book within one month.

8. To give in requital or recompense; to requite.

   […]the Lord ſhall returne thy wickedneſſe vpon thine owne head.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 2:44, column 2

9. transitiveTo reciprocate (a visit or telephone call, electronic message, etc.).

   I wrote to my ex-wife but she won't return my emails.

   1 more example

   Hello, I’m just returning your call. What did you want to talk about?

10. transitiveTo take back something to a vendor for a complete or partial refund.

    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.

11. hobbiesTo bat the ball back over the net in response to a serve.

    The player couldn’t return the serve because it was so fast.

12. card gamesTo play a card as a result of another player’s lead.

    If one players plays a trump, the others must return a trump.

13. ball gamesTo throw a ball back to the wicket-keeper (or a fielder at that position) from somewhere in the field.
14. transitiveTo say in reply; to respond.

    to return an answer;  to return thanks;  “Do it yourself!” she returned.

    2 more examples

    “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 […]

    1859, Charles Dickens, “A Hand at Cards”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 205

    “Ah my good friend, I do look out,” the young man returned while Maisie helped herself afresh to bread and butter.

    1897 October 16, Henry James, chapter XII, in What Maisie Knew, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Herbert S. Stone & Co., →OCLC, page 132

15. intransitivecomputingTo relinquish control to the calling procedure.
16. transitivecomputingTo pass (data) back to the calling procedure.

    This function returns the number of files in the directory.

17. datedtransitiveTo retort; to throw back.

    to return the lie

    1 more example

    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.

    1681, [John Dryden], “To the Reader”, in Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] J[acob] T[onson] and are to be sold by W. Davis […], →OCLC

18. transitiveTo report, or bring back and make known.

    to return the result of an election

    1 more example

    And all the people anſwered together, [...] and Moſes returned the wordes of the people vnto the Lord.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 19:8, column 2

19. CommonwealthbroadlydatedTo elect to a certain office.

    he was returned as a Member of Parliament

20. fencingTo give a thrust or cut after parrying a sword-thrust.

plural returns · alternative obsolete returne

1. countableuncountableThe act of returning.

   I expect the house to be spotless upon my return.

   2 more examples

   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.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 12–13

   […] 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.

   1976, Reports of Cases Determined in the Courts of Appeal of the State of California, page 423

   Synonyms: gaincoming

2. countableuncountableA return ticket.

   Do you want a one-way or a return?

3. countableuncountablebusinessAn item that is returned, e.g. due to a defect.

   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.

   2017, John Gattorna, Strategic Supply Chain Alignment, page 623

4. countableuncountableAn answer.

   a return to one’s question

5. countableuncountableAn 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.

   election returns; a return of the amount of goods produced or sold

   1 more example

   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.

   1942 May-June, Charles E. Lee, “The Brampton Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 140, relating to an election in 1837

6. countableuncountableGain or loss from an investment.

   It yielded a return of 5%.

   3 more examples

   from the few hours we spend in prayer and the exercises of a pious life, the return is great and profitable

   1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC

   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.

   2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, in BBC Sport

   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.

   2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68

7. countableuncountablebusinessA report of income submitted to a government for purposes of specifying exact tax payment amounts; a tax return.

   Hand in your return within 90 days of the end of the tax year.

8. countableuncountablecomputingA carriage return character.
9. countableuncountablecomputingThe act of relinquishing control to the calling procedure.
10. countableuncountablecomputingA return value: the data passed back from a called procedure.
11. countableuncountableA return pipe, returning fluid to a boiler or other central plant (compare with flow pipe, which carries liquid away from a central plant).

    The boiler technician had to cut out the heating return to access the safety valve.

12. countableuncountablebusinessA roadway along which foul air travels from the face on its way out of the mine.
13. countableuncountableAmerican footballThe act of catching a ball after a punt and running it back towards the opposing team.
14. countableuncountableball gamesA throw from a fielder to the wicket-keeper or to another fielder at the wicket.
15. countableuncountableA short perpendicular extension of a desk, usually slightly lower.
16. countableuncountablearchitectureThe 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.

    A facade of sixty feet east and west has a return of twenty feet north and south.