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return (v.)

early 14c., "to come back, come or go back to a former position" (intransitive), from Old French retorner "turn back, turn round, return" (Modern French retourner), from re- "back" (see re-) + torner "to turn" (see turn (v.)). Transitive sense of "report officially" is early 15c.; "to send back" is mid-15c.; that of "to turn back" is from c. 1500. Meaning "to give in repayment" is 1590s; that of "give back, restore" c. 1600. Related: Returned; returning.

return (n.)

late 14c., "act of coming back," also "official report of election results," from Anglo-French retorn, Old French retorne, verbal noun from retorner (see return (v.)). In ball games from 1833; specifically in tennis from 1886. Meaning "a yield, a profit" is recorded from 1620s. Meaning "a thing sent back" is from 1875. Many happy returns of the day was used by Addison (1716). Mailing return address attested from 1884.

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Definitions of return from WordNet
1
return (v.)
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before;
the professor returned to his teaching position after serving as Dean
return to your native land
return (v.)
give back;
Synonyms: render
return (v.)
go back to a previous state;
Synonyms: revert / retrovert / regress / turn back
return (v.)
go back to something earlier;
Synonyms: hark back / come back / recall
return (v.)
bring back to the point of departure;
Synonyms: take back / bring back
return (v.)
return in kind;
return her love
return a compliment
return (v.)
make a return;
return a kickback
return (v.)
answer back;
Synonyms: retort / come back / repay / riposte / rejoin
return (v.)
be restored;
Her old vigor returned
Synonyms: come back
return (v.)
pay back;
Synonyms: refund / repay / give back
return (v.)
pass down;
Synonyms: render / deliver
return (v.)
elect again;
Synonyms: reelect
return (v.)
be inherited by;
The land returned to the family
Synonyms: fall / pass / devolve
return (v.)
return to a previous position; in mathematics;
The point returned to the interior of the figure
return (v.)
give or supply;
Synonyms: render / yield / give / generate
return (v.)
submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority;
2
return (n.)
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
Synonyms: tax return / income tax return
return (n.)
a coming to or returning home;
on his return from Australia we gave him a welcoming party
Synonyms: homecoming
return (n.)
the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction;
Synonyms: coming back
return (n.)
getting something back again;
Synonyms: restitution / restoration / regaining
return (n.)
the act of going back to a prior location;
they set out on their return to the base camp
return (n.)
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property;
the average return was about 5%
Synonyms: issue / take / takings / proceeds / yield / payoff
return (n.)
happening again (especially at regular intervals);
the return of spring
Synonyms: recurrence
return (n.)
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one);
return (n.)
the key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed;
Synonyms: return key
return (n.)
a reciprocal group action;
in return we gave them as good as we got
Synonyms: paying back / getting even
return (n.)
a tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player;
he won the point on a cross-court return
return (n.)
(American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble;
return (n.)
the act of someone appearing again;
Synonyms: reappearance
From wordnet.princeton.edu