/ English Dictionary

RETURN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of someone appearing again

Example:

his reappearance as Hamlet has been long awaited

Synonyms:

reappearance; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

appearance (the act of appearing in public view)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

comeback (return by a celebrity to some previously successful activity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A coming to or returning home

Example:

on his return from Australia we gave him a welcoming party

Synonyms:

homecoming; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

arrival (the act of arriving at a certain place)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

repatriation (the act of returning to the country of origin)

Derivation:

return (go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Getting something back again

Example:

upon the restitution of the book to its rightful owner the child was given a tongue lashing

Synonyms:

regaining; restitution; restoration; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

acquisition (the act of contracting or assuming or acquiring possession of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

clawback (finding a way to take money back from people that they were given in another way)

Derivation:

return (give back)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of going back to a prior location

Example:

they set out on their return to the base camp

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

motion; move; movement (the act of changing location from one place to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

reentry (the act of entering again)

remand (the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial))

Derivation:

return (go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before)

return (bring back to the point of departure)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

run; running; running game; running play ((American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team)

Domain category:

American football; American football game (a game played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field 100 yards long; teams try to get possession of the ball and advance it across the opponents goal line in a series of (running or passing) plays)

Derivation:

return (make a return)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player

Example:

he won the point on a cross-court return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

tennis shot; tennis stroke (the act of hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

volley (a tennis return made by hitting the ball before it bounces)

passing shot (a tennis return that passes an opponent who has approached the net)

overhead; smash (a hard return hitting the tennis ball above your head)

lob (an easy return of a tennis ball in a high arc)

half volley (a tennis return made by hitting the ball immediately after it bounces)

ground stroke (a tennis return made by hitting the ball after it has bounced once)

get (a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent)

forehand; forehand shot; forehand stroke ((sports) a return made with the palm of the hand facing the direction of the stroke (as in tennis or badminton or squash))

dink; drop shot (a soft return so that the tennis ball drops abruptly after crossing the net)

drive ((sports) a hard straight return (as in tennis or squash))

chop; chop shot (a tennis return made with a downward motion that puts backspin on the ball)

backhand; backhand shot; backhand stroke (a return made with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke)

Holonyms ("return" is a part of...):

lawn tennis; tennis (a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A reciprocal group action

Example:

in return we gave them as good as we got

Synonyms:

getting even; paying back; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

group action (action taken by a group of people)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

payment; requital (an act of requiting; returning in kind)

retaliation; revenge (action taken in return for an injury or offense)

reciprocation (the act of making or doing something in return)

tit for tat (an equivalent given in return)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed

Synonyms:

return; return key

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

key (a lever (as in a keyboard) that actuates a mechanism when depressed)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability

Example:

his gross income was enough that he had to file a tax return

Synonyms:

income tax return; return; tax return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

joint return (a return filed by a husband and wife)

information return (a return that provides information to the tax collector but does not compute the tax liability)

false return (an incorrect income tax return)

declaration of estimated tax; estimated tax return (return required of a taxpayer whose tax withheld from income does not meet the tax liability for the year)

amended return (a tax return that corrects the information in an earlier return)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

Example:

it brought a sharp rejoinder from the teacher

Synonyms:

comeback; counter; rejoinder; replication; retort; return; riposte

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

reply; response (the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

back talk; backtalk; lip; mouth; sass; sassing (an impudent or insolent rejoinder)

Derivation:

return (answer back)

return (return in kind)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Happening again (especially at regular intervals)

Example:

the return of spring

Synonyms:

recurrence; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

repeat; repetition (an event that repeats)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

atavism; reversion; throwback (a reappearance of an earlier characteristic)

flashback (an unexpected but vivid recurrence of a past experience (especially a recurrence of the effects of an hallucinogenic drug taken much earlier))

Sense 12

Meaning:

The occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction

Synonyms:

coming back; return

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

turn; turning (a movement in a new direction)

Derivation:

return (go back to a previous state)

Sense 13

Meaning:

The income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property

Example:

the average return was about 5%

Synonyms:

issue; payoff; proceeds; return; take; takings; yield

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("return" is a kind of...):

income (the financial gain (earned or unearned) accruing over a given period of time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "return"):

economic rent; rent (the return derived from cultivated land in excess of that derived from the poorest land cultivated under similar conditions)

payback (financial return or reward (especially returns equal to the initial investment))

Derivation:

return (give or supply)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Go back to a previous state

Example:

We reverted to the old rules

Synonyms:

regress; retrovert; return; revert; turn back

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

change by reversal; reverse; turn (change to the contrary)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

go back; recover; recuperate (regain a former condition after a financial loss)

resile (return to the original position or state after being stretched or compressed)

fall back; lapse; recidivate; regress; relapse; retrogress (go back to bad behavior)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

return (the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be restored

Example:

Her old vigor returned

Synonyms:

come back; return

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

re-emerge; reappear (appear again)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Answer back

Synonyms:

come back; rejoin; repay; retort; return; riposte

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

answer; reply; respond (react verbally)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

return (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority

Example:

submit a bill to a legislative body

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

submit (refer for judgment or consideration)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

report out (return a bill after consideration and revision to a legislative body)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 5

Meaning:

Go back to something earlier

Example:

This harks back to a previous remark of his

Synonyms:

come back; hark back; recall; return

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

denote; refer (have as a meaning)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

go back; recur (return in thought or speech to something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 6

Meaning:

Pass down

Example:

deliver a judgment

Synonyms:

deliver; render; return

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

communicate; pass; pass along; pass on; put across (transmit information)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Make a return

Example:

return a kickback

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

carry; transport (move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body)

Domain category:

football; football game (any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

return ((American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Give or supply

Example:

The estate renders some revenue for the family

Synonyms:

generate; give; render; return; yield

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

create; make; produce (create or manufacture a man-made product)

Verb group:

give; yield (cause to happen or be responsible for)

establish; give (bring about)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

return (the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

Example:

the professor returned to his teaching position after serving as Dean

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

bounce (come back after being refused)

boomerang (return to the initial position from where it came; like a boomerang)

return (return to a previous position; in mathematics)

go home; head home (return home)

home (return home accurately from a long distance)

cut back; flash back (return in time)

backtrack; double back; turn back (retrace one's course)

retrace; trace (to go back over again)

revisit (visit again)

resurrect; rise; uprise (return from the dead)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children return to the playground

Derivation:

return (a coming to or returning home)

return (the act of going back to a prior location)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Return to a previous position; in mathematics

Example:

The point returned to the interior of the figure

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

return (go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 11

Meaning:

Bring back to the point of departure

Synonyms:

bring back; return; take back

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

bring; convey; take (take something or somebody with oneself somewhere)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They return the parcel to their parents

Derivation:

return (the act of going back to a prior location)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Be inherited by

Example:

The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead

Synonyms:

devolve; fall; pass; return

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

change hands; change owners (be transferred to another owner)

Verb group:

accrue; fall (come into the possession of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

fall; light (fall to somebody by assignment or lot)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 13

Meaning:

Pay back

Example:

Please refund me my money

Synonyms:

give back; refund; repay; return

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

reimburse (pay back for some expense incurred)

restitute; restore (give or bring back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sentence examples:

They return the money to them

They return them the money

Sense 14

Meaning:

Give back

Example:

render money

Synonyms:

render; return

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

feed back; resubmit (submit (information) again to a program or automatic system)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

return (getting something back again)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Return in kind

Example:

return her love

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

reciprocate (act, feel, or give mutually or in return)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "return"):

redound (return or recoil)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

return (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one))

Sense 16

Meaning:

Elect again

Synonyms:

reelect; return

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "return" is one way to...):

elect (select by a vote for an office or membership)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) If you take pain medication, how many hours does it take before the pain returns?

(BPI - Hours before Pain Returns, NCI Thesaurus)

The act or an instance of returning from one location or situation to the previous one.

(Callback, NCI Thesaurus)

The status of an item that was not returned.

(Not Returned, NCI Thesaurus)

Phosphorus ion requiring five electrons to return to its elemental state.

(P5+, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

The completed process of evaluating a product after it has been returned to the manufacturer or reprocessor.

(Performed Product Investigation, NCI Thesaurus)

A procedure that collects a component of the peripheral blood while returning the rest to the donor.

(Pheresis, NCI Thesaurus)

The process of separating certain cells from the plasma in the blood by a machine; only the cells are returned to the person.

(Plasmapheresis, NCI Dictionary)

Lead ion requiring four electrons to return to its elemental state.

(Pb4+, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

Lead ion requiring two electrons to return to its elemental state.

(Pb2+, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

I returned to the window and fetched it thence.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

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