Word: return Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English returnen, retornen, from Anglo-Norman returner, from Old French retourner, retorner, from Medieval Latin retornare (“to turn back”), from re- + tornare (“to turn”). By surface analysis, re- + turn. Compare beturn. Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈtɜːn/, /ɹɪˈtɝn/, /ɹəˈtɚːn/, /ɹəˈtʊːɹn/, /ɾɪˈtə(ɾ)n/ 1. To come or go back (to a place or person). Labels: intransitive Example: Although the birds fly north for the summer, they return here in winter. Example: 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. 2. To go back in thought, narration, or argument. Labels: intransitive Example: To return to my story[…] 3. To recur; to come again. Labels: intransitive Example: Winter returns every year. 4. To turn back, retreat. Labels: intransitive, obsolete Example: ‘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.’ 5. To turn (something) round. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: Whan Kyng Marke harde hym sey that worde, he returned his horse and abode by hym. 6. To place or put back something where it had been. Labels: transitive Example: Please return your hands to your lap. 7. To give something back to its original holder or owner. Labels: transitive Example: You should return the library book within one month. 8. To give in requital or recompense; to requite. Example: […]the Lord ſhall returne thy wickedneſſe vpon thine owne head. 9. To reciprocate (a visit or telephone call). Labels: transitive Example: Hello, I’m just returning your call. What did you want to talk about? 10. To take back something to a vendor for a complete or partial refund. Labels: transitive Example: 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. To bat the ball back over the net in response to a serve. Example: The player couldn’t return the serve because it was so fast. 12. To play a card as a result of another player’s lead. Example: If one players plays a trump, the others must return a trump. 13. To throw a ball back to the wicket-keeper (or a fielder at that position) from somewhere in the field. 14. To say in reply; to respond. Labels: transitive Example: to return an answer; to return thanks; “Do it yourself!” she returned. Example: “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 […] 15. To relinquish control to the calling procedure. Labels: intransitive 16. To pass (data) back to the calling procedure. Labels: transitive Example: This function returns the number of files in the directory. 17. To retort; to throw back. Labels: dated, transitive Example: to return the lie 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. 18. To report, or bring back and make known. Labels: transitive Example: to return the result of an election Example: And all the people anſwered together, [...] and Moſes returned the wordes of the people vnto the Lord. 19. To elect to a certain office. Labels: Commonwealth, broadly, dated Example: he was returned as a Member of Parliament 20. To give a thrust or cut after parrying a sword-thrust.