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return
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/rɪˈtɜː(r)n/ 
| present tense | |
| I/you/we/they | return |
| he/she/it | returns |
| present participle | returning |
| past tense | returned |
| past participle | returned |
- 1[intransitive] to go back to a place where you were earlier, or to come back from a place where you have just been
One day she just walked out and never returned.
return to:Be careful. We want you to return to base in one piece.
return from:And when do you return from Paris?
return home:He returned home around midnight.
- 3[transitive] to do or say something to someone that is similar to something that they have done or said to you
I waved and called to her, and she returned my greeting.
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to return your phone call earlier.
return the favour (=help someone because they have helped you):Thanks for helping me. I’ll try to return the favour some day.
return someone’s fire (=shoot at someone who has shot at you):As soon as we started shooting, the enemy returned our fire.
See also
compliment - 6[transitive] to elect someone to a position, especially in parliamentreturn someone to something:
The voters returned her to parliament last year.
return someone to office:It seems unlikely that the President will be returned to office.
phrase
return a verdict (of something)
phrasal verbs
This is the British English definition of return. View American English definition of return.
Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.
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