return

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In programming, upon completion of a routine or function, to go back to the point in the program that called the operation. When a function returns control, it may also return a result in the form of a value. For example, "the read function returns a -1 if the read fails" means that if the computer cannot read the file, before returning from the function, it stores a -1 in a variable defined by the programmer. See function. See also enter key and return code.

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Finance and investment: profit on a securities or capital investment, usually expressed as an annual percentage rate.
See also rate of return; return on equity; return on invested capital; return on sales; total return.


Retailing: exchange of previously sold merchandise for refund or credit against future sales.


Taxes: form on which taxpayers submit information required by the government when they file with the internal revenue service. For example, Form 1040 is the tax return used by individual taxpayers.


Trade: physical return of merchandise for credit against an invoice.

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verb

1. To come back to a former condition: recrudesce, recur, reoccur, revert. See repetition.
2. To go again to a former place: come back, go back, revisit. See approach/retreat.
3. To send, put, or carry back to a former location: give back, restore, take back. See increase/decrease, keep/release.
4. To bring back into existence or use: reestablish, reinstate, reintroduce, renew, restore, revive. See increase/decrease, keep/release.
5. To speak or act in response, as to a question: answer, rejoin, reply, respond, retort, riposte. See ask/answer.
6. To give or take mutually: reciprocate, requite. See connect.
7. To make as income or profit: bring in, clear, draw, earn, gain, gross, net², pay, produce, realize, repay, yield. See money.
8. To deliver (an indictment or verdict, for example): hand down, render. See law.
9. To put (someone) in the possession of a prior position or office: give back, reinstate, replace, restore. See increase/decrease, keep/release.

noun

1. A repeated occurrence: reappearance, recurrence, reoccurrence. See repetition.
2. Something earned, won, or otherwise acquired: earnings, gain, profit. See get/lose, money.

Idioms beginning with return:
return the compliment
return to the fold

See also in return; many happy returns; point of no return.

n

Definition: answer
Antonyms: question, request

n

Definition: coming again
Antonyms: departure, leave

n

Definition: earnings, benefit
Antonyms: debt, payment

v

Definition: answer
Antonyms: ask, request

v

Definition: earn
Antonyms: pay

v

Definition: give back, send back
Antonyms: keep, take, throw away

v

Definition: go back, turn back
Antonyms: depart, leave, set out

The continuation of a molding, projection, member, or cornice, or the like, in a different direction, usually at a right angle. For example, see cornice return and label return.

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To bring, carry, or send back; to restore, redeliver, or replace in the custody of someone. Merchandise brought back to a seller for credit or a refund. The profit made on a sale; the income from an investment. A schedule of information required by some governmental agencies, such as the tax return that must be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.

The official report made by a court, body of magistrates, or other official board charged with counting votes cast in an election. The redelivery of a writ, notice, or other form of legal process to the court after its proper service on the defendant or after it cannot be served.

For example, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require a plaintiff to begin an action in federal court by preparing a complaint and giving it to the court. Then the clerk of the court issues a summons and delivers the summons and complaint to a U.S. marshal or a deputy, unless the court designates someone else. That person must take the papers, called legal process, and serve them on the named defendant. The process server must promptly report back to the court the circumstances of the service or the failure to serve the papers.

This report with the process server's signature on it is called the return of service. It recites facts to demonstrate that the defendant has actually been given notice that she is required to appear in court. The failure to make a proper return does not make the service invalid or defeat its effectiveness for starting the lawsuit, but it can be grounds for disciplining the process server. The return is important to the court because it is proof that service was properly made on the correct person and that the action has been legally commenced.

See: service of process.

The gain or loss of a security in a particular period. The return consists of the income and the capital gains relative on an investment. It is usually quoted as a percentage.

Investopedia Says:
The general rule is that the more risk you take, the greater the potential for higher return - and loss.

Return is also used as an abbreviation for income tax return, see 1040 Form.

Related Links:
Many investors do not understand how to determine the level of risk their individual portfolios should bear. Determining Risk And The Risk Pyramid
How much are your investments actually returning? Find out why the method of calculation matters. All Returns Are Not Created Equal
Learn about the powerful hybrid techniques that take advantage of both technical and fundamental analysis. Charting Your Way To Better Returns
Survivorship bias erases substandard performers, distorting overall mutual fund returns. Published Mutual Fund Returns Not Always What They Appear
Learn how to illustrate an asset return's sensitivity. Find The Right Fit With Probability Distributions

IN BRIEF: adj. - Giving back; Turning back or in the reverse direction; Coming back.

Returning to town in the stage-coach, which was filled with Mr. Gilman's guests, we stopped for a minute or two at Kentish Town. — Charles Lamb, Source: Autobiographical Recollections. (Leslie.)

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

For a list of words related to return, see:

• Software, Languages, and Programming - return: key that instructs computer to perform command just entered; key that produces hard-carriage return in word processing
• Income Tax - return: forms, schedules, and statements used to report income and expenses and determine tax liability
• Football
• Tennis
• Directions - return: come back to a place formerly visited

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Return.

Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - vende tilbage
v. tr. - sende tilbage, tilbagebetale, gengælde, vælge (parlamentsmedlem)
n. - tilbagevenden, tilbagelevering, returbillet, afkast
adj. - tilbage-, retur-, gen-

idioms:

• by return of post    omgående
• elections return    blive valgt
• in return    til gengæld
• return match    returkamp (sport)
• return the compliment    gengælde en kompliment
• return visit    gengældelsesvisit
• returning officer    valgbestyrer

Nederlands (Dutch)
terug komen/-gaan, , terug sturen/-brengen, teruggeven, antwoorden, terugkeer, rendement, teruggave, terugreis, antwoord

Français (French)
v. intr. - revenir, retourner, rentrer, reprendre, réapparaître
v. tr. - rendre, rembourser, rapporter, remettre, renvoyer, retourner, répondre à (des sentiments), répliquer, riposter, déclarer, (Jur) prononcer, (Mil) riposter à, (Sport) renvoyer (la balle), (Fin) rapporter, (Pol) élire un candidat
n. - (lit, fig) retour, retour (de), restitution, renvoi, récompense, (Fin) rendement, rapport, rémunération, (Transp) aller-retour, (Théât) billet rendu à la dernière minute, (Édit) invendu, (Sport) retour (de balle), (Pol) résultats (npl)
adj. - retourné, invendu

idioms:

• by return of post    par retour du courrier
• elections return    résultat des élections
• in return    en revanche
• return match    (Sport) match retour, revanche
• return the compliment    retourner le compliment
• return visit    visite d'échange
• returning officer    (Pol) président du bureau de vote

Deutsch (German)
n. - Rückkehr, Wiederauftreten, Gewinn, Einkommen, Rückerstattung, Antwort, Bericht, Rückschlag, Rückfahrkarte, Revanche
v. - zurückkehren, zurückweisen, abwerfen, sich revanchieren, zurückschlagen , zurückbringen, erwidern
adj. - Rück-

idioms:

• by return of post    postwendend
• elections return    Wahlergebnisse
• in return    im Gegenzug
• return match    Wiederholungsspiel
• return the compliment    das Kompliment zurückgeben
• return visit    Gegenbesuch
• returning officer    Wahlleiter

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - επιστροφή, επάνοδος, ερχομός, (αντ)απόδοση, (καθομ.) εισιτήριο επιστροφής, ταξίδι επιστροφής, αγώνας ανταποδόσεως, είσπραξη, απόδοση, κέρδος, (πληθ.) (οικον.) αποδόσεις, κέρδη, εισπράξεις, έκθεση, δήλωση, στατιστική
v. - επιστρέφω, γυρίζω, ανταποδίδω, απαντώ, αποκρίνομαι, δηλώνω, αναφέρω, εκθέτω (επίσημα), αποφέρω, αποδίδω (οικονομικά οφέλη), δίνω/στέλνω πίσω, εκλέγω, πληρώνω
adj. - της επιστροφής, μετ' επιστροφής, ρεβάνς

idioms:

• by return of post    με το επόμενο ταχυδρομείο
• elections return    εκλογή βουλευτή
• in return    ως αντάλλαγμα
• return match    (αθλοπ.) ρεβάνς
• return the compliment    ανταποδίδω φιλοφρόνηση
• return visit    δεύτερη/επαναληπτική επίσκεψη
• returning officer    (Βρετ.) δικαστικός αντιπρόσωπος (εκλογικού τμήματος), πρόεδρος εφορευτικής επιτροπής

Italiano (Italian)
guadagno, rientrare, ritornare, restituire, riportare, replicare, ritorno, reddito, restituzione, andata e ritorno, contropartita, retroazione

idioms:

• by return (of post)    a giro di posta
• elections return    risultati elettorali
• in return    in cambio
• return match    rivincita
• return visit    visita di cortesia
• returning officer    presidente di seggio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - volta (f), retrocesso (m)
v. - regresso (m)
adj. - contra-recebimento

idioms:

• by return of post    pela volta do correio
• elections return    returno (eleição)
• in return    em troca de
• return match    revanche (f)
• return visit    visita de cortesia
• returning officer    juiz eleitoral

Русский (Russian)
вернуться, вернуть, возразить, возвращение, возврат, обратный билет, доход, отражение, обратный ход

idioms:

• by return of post    обратной почтой
• elections return    результаты выборов
• in return    взамен
• return match    ответный матч
• return visit    ответный визит
• returning officer    председатель избирательного комитета

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - volver, regresar, reanudar, reaparecer, repercutir, poner de nuevo, replicar, contestar
v. tr. - devolver, restituir, reflejar, retornar, pagar, corresponder a, agradecer, dar en cambio, dar, rendir, redituar, producir, pronunciar
n. - ingresos, resultados, remanentes de periódicos no vendidos, vuelta, regreso, retorno, rendimiento, producto, restitución, devolución, reembolso, billete de ida y vuelta, recompensa, viaje de regreso, reelección
adj. - de vuelta o retorno, de reexpedición, de desquite, de revancha

idioms:

• by return of post    a vuelta de correo
• elections return    resultados electorales
• in return    a cambio, en recompensa
• return match    juego o partido de desquite
• return the compliment    devolver el cumplido
• return visit    devolver la visita
• returning officer    escrutador

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - återkomst, återlämnande, gengäldande, avkastning
v. - återvända, återlämna, avkasta (ränta)
adj. - retur-

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
回返, 回来, 归还, 报告, 回报, 回, 返回, 归, 回答, 还, 报答, 返回的, 报答的, 回程的

idioms:

• by return of post    立即回信
• elections return    开票报告, 选举结果报告
• in return    作为报答
• return match    再次比赛, 对原对手的重赛
• return the compliment    投桃报李
• return visit    回访
• returning officer    选举监察官, 交回传票的官员

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 回返, 回來, 歸還
v. tr. - 歸還, 報告, 回報
n. - 回, 返回, 歸, 回答, 還, 歸還, 報答
adj. - 返回的, 報答的, 回程的

idioms:

• by return of post    立即回信
• elections return    開票報告, 選舉結果報告
• in return    作為報答
• return match    再次比賽, 對原對手的重賽
• return the compliment    投桃報李
• return visit    回訪
• returning officer    選舉監察官, 交回傳票的官員

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 되돌아 가다, 다시 오다, 대답하다
v. tr. - 돌려주다, 갚다, 대꾸하다
n. - 돌아옴, 회복하다, 반환
adj. - 되돌아가는, 회답의, 재차의

idioms:

• by return of post    받는 즉시로, 대지급으로
• in return    답례로

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 戻る, 帰る, 立ち返る, 返報する, 返す, 生む, 生ずる, 再び起こる, ぶり返す, 返却する, 反射する
n. - 帰ること, 復帰, 返すこと, 再び来ること, 再発, 返礼, 仕返し, 報告, 利益, 往復切符

idioms:

• by return of post    折り返し
• elections return    開票報告
• in return    返しに, 代わりに
• return fire    応射
• return game    リターンマッチ
• return match    再試合, 雪辱戦
• return the compliment    返礼する
• return visit    答礼のための訪問

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عودة, رجوع, إنعطاف, عائدات (فعل) يعيد, يرجع, يقابل شيئا بمثله (صفه) رحله العودة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮חזר‬
v. tr. - ‮החזיר, הצהיר על, הודיע רשמית, ענה, נתן, בחר לפרלמנט‬
n. - ‮חזרה, החזרה, החזר, רווח, תשואה, דו"ח, הצהרה, גמול, של חזרה, היבחרות, ברבים: מחזור, פדיון, סיכומים‬
adj. - ‮של חזרה, נעשה או ניתן בחזרה, קורה שוב, חוזר למקום, משנה כיוון, חוזר על עצמו‬

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