Returned Return I Returning Home Back Extra Examples

• i waited a long time for him to return.
• returning emigrants/exiles/refugees (= who are coming home after being away)
• she's returning to australia tomorrow after six months in europe.
• he had recently returned to this country after living in spain.

return

Verb Forms

1. to come or go back from one place to another
• I waited a long time for him to return.
• returning emigrants/exiles/refugees (= who are coming home after being away)
• She's returning to Australia tomorrow after six months in Europe.
• He had recently returned to this country after living in Spain.
• I had to return to the store to look for my purse.
• I returned from work to find the house empty.
• People were returning home for the weekend.

Extra Examples

• They were forced to return to their country of origin.
• The prime minister recently returned from a summit at Camp David.
• We locked the door in case Mary returned unexpectedly.
• He finally returned with the drinks.
• The patient subsequently returned for surgery.
• She was preparing to return to El Salvador.
• She quickly returned to the car and sped off.
• Our aircraft all returned safely to their bases.
• She had recently returned from Paris.
• Charlie reluctantly returned to his seat.
• I couldn't wait to return from my travels.
• I will have to ask that you return directly to your houses.
• When did she return home from the trip?
• They returned to find the house had been burgled.
2. to bring, give, put or send something back to somebody/something
• We had to return the hairdryer to the store because it was faulty.
• I must return some books to the library.
• The court ordered him to return the children to their mother.
• Completed questionnaires should be returned to this address.
• He refused to return our money.
• I returned the letter unopened.

Extra Examples

• I offered to return his Christmas gift to me.
• She never returned the book to me.
• See that the documents are returned promptly, please.
• The asylum seekers are to be forcibly returned to their home countries.
• Don't forget to return my pen!
3. to come back again
• SYNONYM reappear
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/reappear
• The following day the pain returned.
• There's a chance the cancer will return.
• Confidence returned and prices started to rise.
• The bad weather has returned with a vengeance.

Extra Examples

• His headache returned instantly.
• Her symptoms returned periodically.
• My strength was slowly returning to me.
• There are positive signs that peace is returning.
• the tears that threatened to return
• Her suspicions returned when things started going missing again.
4. to start discussing a subject you were discussing earlier, or doing an activity you were doing earlier
• He returns to this topic later in the report.
• She looked up briefly then returned to her sewing.
• The doctor may allow her to return to work next week.

Extra Examples

• Suspicions were aroused when he failed to return to work on Monday morning.
• Ali returned triumphantly to boxing in 1970.
• Lack of cash forced her to return to work.
• His conversation returns repeatedly to the same subjects.
• Let me return briefly to this question.
• She is due to return to school in a fortnight.
5. to go back to a previous state
• Train services have returned to normal after the strike.
• The land has returned to its natural state.
• Many find returning to civilian life difficult.
6. to do or give something to somebody because they have done or given the same to you first; to have the same feeling about somebody that they have about you
• to return a smile/gaze/greeting
• If you assist people when they ask for help, it is more likely they will return the favour.
• She phoned him several times but he was too busy to return her call.
• It's time we returned their invitation (= invite them to something as they invited us first).
• You were both wonderful!’ ‘So were you!’ we said, returning the compliment.
• to return a kiss (= to kiss somebody with the same enthusiasm with which they kiss you)
• He did not return her love.
• to return fire (= to shoot at somebody who is shooting at you)

Extra Examples

• Kevin gladly returned her hug.
• He hadn't bothered to return her messages.
• He soon falls in love with Amanda, but she does not return his affection.
7. to hit the ball back to your opponent during a game
• to return a service/shot
8. to give a decision about something in court
• The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
• The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
9. to elect somebody to a political position
• She was returned as MP for Edgbaston in the last election.
• He was returned to Parliament with an increased majority.
10. to give or produce a particular amount of money as a profit or loss
• to return a high rate of interest
• Last year the company returned a loss of £157 million.

Word Origin

• Middle English: the verb from Old French returner, from Latin re- ‘back’ + tornare ‘to turn’; the noun via Anglo-Norman French.