return
Looking for the meaning of return? Explore definitions, parts of speech, and usage examples below.
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The act of returning.
“I expect the house to be spotless upon my return.”
A return ticket.
“Do you want a one-way or a return?”
An item that is returned, e.g. due to a defect, or the act of returning it.
“Last year there were 250 returns of this product, an improvement on the 500 returns the year before.”
An answer.
“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.
“election returns; a return of the amount of goods produced or sold”
Gain or loss from an investment.
“It yielded a return of 5%.”
: A report of income submitted to a government for purposes of specifying exact tax payment amounts. A tax return.
“Hand in your return by the end of the tax year.”
A carriage return character.
The act of relinquishing control to the calling procedure.
A return value: the data passed back from a called procedure.
A return pipe, returning fluid to a boiler or other central plant (compare with flow pipe, which carries liquid away from central plant).
“The boiler technician had to cut out the heating return to access the safety valve.”
A short perpendicular extension of a desk, usually slightly lower.
Catching a ball after a punt and running it back towards the opposing team.
A throw from a fielder to the wicket-keeper or to another fielder at the wicket.
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.
“A facade of sixty feet east and west has a return of twenty feet north and south.”
To come or go back (to a place or person).
“Although the birds fly north for the summer, they return here in winter.”
To go back in thought, narration, or argument.
“To return to my story [...]”
To turn back, retreat.
To turn (something) round.
To place or put back something where it had been.
“Please return your hands to your lap.”
To give something back to its original holder or owner.
“You should return the library book within one month.”
To take back something to a vendor for a refund.
“If the goods don't work, you can return them.”
To give in requital or recompense; to requite.
To bat the ball back over the net in response to a serve.
“The player couldn't return the serve because it was so fast.”
To play a card as a result of another player's lead.
“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.
“to return an answer; to return thanks; "Do it yourself!" she returned.”
To relinquish control to the calling procedure.
To pass (data) back to the calling procedure.
“This function returns the number of files in the directory.”
To retort; to throw back.
“to return the lie”
To report, or bring back and make known.
“to return the result of an election”
(by extension) To elect according to the official report of the election officers.
Understanding "return"
The word **"return"** is a **noun** in the English language. It is phonetically pronounced as **N/A**. Explore the detailed meaning, morphological structure, and usage examples for **"return"** in our dictionary below.
The English language is incredibly vast, and diving into the definition of the word "return" provides a perfect example of its linguistic depth. Categorized primarily as a noun, the term "return" holds specific syntactical roles within a sentence, allowing speakers and writers to convey precise meaning. Understanding how this word functions is an excellent step towards mastering advanced English vocabulary and improving overall reading comprehension.
For those looking to perfect their spoken English, noting the phonetic pronunciation of "return" is crucial. It is typically transcribed as a standard English phoneme pattern. Proper enunciation ensures that your intended message is received clearly, preventing miscommunication in both formal and casual settings. Linguistic scholars often track the phonological evolution of words like "return" to understand broader historical shifts in dialects and accents across different English-speaking populations.
When deciding how to use "return" in everyday communication, it helps to look at exactly how it operates as a noun. In professional writing, academic essays, and creative literature, choosing the perfect vocabulary word can drastically elevate the tone of the text. Because "return" carries its own unique connotations and denotations, swapping it for a simpler synonym might dilute the impact of your sentence.
Our comprehensive dictionary tool is designed to provide immediate, reliable definitions for thousands of terms, including "return". By consistently exploring the nuances of vocabulary—including phonetics (N/A), part of speech (noun), and usage examples—you can significantly expand your linguistic repertoire. Bookmark this page as a quick reference tool whenever you encounter "return" in reading materials or wish to incorporate it into your active vocabulary.
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Refer to the usage examples above to see how "return" can be used in academic and casual conversations.