return
noun
1. document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability
- his gross income was enough that he had to file a tax return
Definition categories: communication, instrument
2. a coming to or returning home
- on his return from Australia we gave him a welcoming party
Similar word(s): homecoming
Definition categories: act, arrival
3. the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction
Definition categories: event, turn, turning
4. getting something back again
Similar word(s): regaining, restitution, restoration
Definition categories: act, acquisition
5. the act of going back to a prior location
- they set out on their return to the base camp
Definition categories: act, motion, move, movement
6. the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
- the average return was about 5%
Similar word(s): issue, payoff, proceeds, take, takings, yield
Definition categories: possession, income
7. happening again (especially at regular intervals)
- the return of spring
Similar word(s): recurrence
Definition categories: event, repeat, repetition
8. a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
Similar word(s): comeback, counter, rejoinder, replication, retort, riposte
Definition categories: communication, reply, response
9. the key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed
Definition categories: man–made, key
10. a reciprocal group action
- in return we gave them as good as we got
Definition categories: act
11. a tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player
- he won the point on a cross-court return
Definition categories: act
12. (American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble
Definition categories: act, run, running
13. the act of someone appearing again
Similar word(s): reappearance
Definition categories: act, appearance
Sentences with return as a noun:
- I expect the house to be spotless upon my return.
- Do you want a one-way or a return?
- Last year there were 250 returns of this product, an improvement on the 500 returns the year before.
- a return to one's question
- election returns; a return of the amount of goods produced or sold
- It yielded a return of 5%.
- Hand in your return by the end of the tax year.
- A facade of sixty feet east and west has a return of twenty feet north and south.
verb
1. go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
- return to your native land
- the professor returned to his teaching position after serving as Dean
Definition categories: motion, go, locomote, move, travel
2. give back
Similar word(s): render
Definition categories: possession, give
3. go back to a previous state
Similar word(s): regress, retrovert, revert
Definition categories: change, reverse, turn
4. go back to something earlier
Similar word(s): recall
Definition categories: communication, denote, refer
5. bring back to the point of departure
Definition categories: motion, bring, convey, take
6. return in kind
- return a compliment
- return her love
Definition categories: possession, reciprocate
7. make a return
- return a kickback
Definition categories: contact, carry, transport
8. answer back
Similar word(s): rejoin, repay, retort, riposte
Definition categories: communication, answer, reply, respond
9. be restored
- Her old vigor returned
Definition categories: change, reappear
10. pay back
Similar word(s): refund, repay
Definition categories: possession, pay
11. pass down
Similar word(s): deliver, render
Definition categories: communication, communicate, pass
12. elect again
Similar word(s): reelect
Definition categories: social, elect
13. be inherited by
- The land returned to the family
Similar word(s): devolve, fall, pass
Definition categories: possession
14. return to a previous position; in mathematics
- The point returned to the interior of the figure
Definition categories: motion, return
15. give or supply
Similar word(s): generate, give, render, yield
Definition categories: creation, create, make, produce
16. submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority
Definition categories: communication, submit
Sentences with return as a verb:
- Although the birds fly north for the summer, they return here in winter.
- To return to my story […]
- Please return your hands to your lap.
- You should return the library book within one month.
- If the goods don't work, you can return them.
- The player couldn't return the serve because it was so fast.
- If one players plays a trump, the others must return a trump.
- to return an answer; to return thanks
- This function returns the number of files in the directory.
- to return the lie
- to return the result of an election