<B>return, </B>verb, noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to go or come back. <BR> <I>Ex. to return this summer. Your mother will return in a moment. We will return to this hard example after doing the easy ones. And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to make an answer or reply. <BR> <I>Ex. A plainspoken ... critic might here perhaps return upon me with my own expressions (Robert Louis Stevenson).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to bring back, give back, send back, hit back, put back, or pay back. <BR> <I>Ex. Return that book to the library. She admired my dress, and I returned the compliment. You took this cap; return it at once. Return good for evil.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to yield. <BR> <I>Ex. The concert returned about $50 over expenses.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to report or announce officially. <BR> <I>Ex. The jury returned a verdict of guilty.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>to reply; answer. <BR> <I>Ex. "No!" he returned crossly.</I> (SYN) respond. <DD><B> 5. </B>to elect or reelect to a lawmaking body. <BR> <I>Ex. Many Presidents have been returned to office for a second term.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>to lead (the suit led by one's partner in a card game). <DD><B> 7. </B>to continue (as a wall or molding); turn at an angle. <DD><B> 8. </B>to reflect (as light or sound). <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>the act of going or coming back; happening again. <BR> <I>Ex. a prompt return to work. We look forward all winter to our return to the country. We wish you many happy returns of your birthday.</I> (SYN) recurrence. <DD><B> 2. </B>a bringing back; giving back; sending back; hitting back; putting back; paying back. <BR> <I>Ex. The boy's bad behavior was a poor return for his uncle's kindness.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a thing returned. <BR> <I>Ex. The bookstore would not accept returns, even ones in good condition.</I> <DD><B> 4a. </B>Often, <B>returns.</B> profit; amount received. <BR> <I>Ex. The returns from the sale were more than $100. Return on investment is the product of two ratios: the margin of profit on sales, and the rate of turnover of capital (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a report; account. <BR> <I>Ex. to make out an income-tax return. The election returns are all in.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>a reply; answer. <DD><B> 6. </B>a lead responding to the suit led by one's partner in a card game. <DD><B> 7. </B>the ratio of the yield on a unit of a product to the cost of the unit. <DD><B> 8. </B>(Sports.) the act of hitting or striking back the ball in play. <BR> <I>Ex. a return of a serve.</I> <DD><B> 9. </B>a pipe, tubing, or other channel for the return of a liquid or gas to its origin. <DD><B> 10. </B>a bend or turn, as in a river, part of a machine, or part of a building. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>having something to do with a return. <BR> <I>Ex. a return ticket to the point of starting.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>sent, given, or done in return. <BR> <I>Ex. a return game, a return cargo.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>repeated. <BR> <I>Ex. a return engagement.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>that bends or turns, often turning back on itself. <BR> <I>Ex. the return angle of the nave.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>causing or allowing the return of some part of a device to its normal or starting position. <BR> <I>Ex. a return spring, a return valve.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>in return,</B> </I>as a return; to return something. <BR> <I>Ex. thanks in return for aid.</I> adj. <B>returnless.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="returnable">
<B>returnable, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>that can be returned. <BR> <I>Ex. returnable merchandise.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>meant or required to be returned. <BR> <I>Ex. They hinted that returnable missiles from either of these planets could introduce something on the earth (Science News Letter).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> (U.S.) an empty bottle or container that one may return to a store to collect a deposit included in its purchase price. </DL>
<A NAME="returnaddress">
<B>return address,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the address of the sender on a letter or package. </DL>
<A NAME="returnee">
<B>returnee, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person who comes back, especially one who has returned to his own country after capture or service abroad. <BR> <I>Ex. The total number of returnees rose at the appliance division plant (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who sends something back. </DL>
<A NAME="returner">
<B>returner, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person or thing that returns. </DL>
<A NAME="returningboard">
<B>returning board,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S.) a board appointed in some states to determine the results of elections. </DL>
<A NAME="returningofficer">
<B>returning officer,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Especially British.) <DD><B> 1. </B>the officer at an election who reports the returns to the proper authority. <DD><B> 2. </B>the officer who returns writs or other documents to the issuing court. </DL>
<A NAME="returns">
<B>returns, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> See under <B>return</B> (n. def. 4a). </DL>
<A NAME="retuse">
<B>retuse, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) having an obtuse or rounded apex with a shallow notch in the center. <BR> <I>Ex. a retuse leaf.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="retype">
<B>retype, </B>verb, <B>-typed,</B> <B>-typing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to typify anew. <DD><B> 2. </B>to recopy with a typewriter. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to acquire a stock of new type. </DL>
<A NAME="reuben">
<B>Reuben</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the oldest son of Jacob (in the Bible, Genesis 29:32). <DD><B> 2. </B>the tribe of Israel that was made up of his descendants (in the Bible, Numbers 32). </DL>
<A NAME="reuben">
<B>Reuben</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S.) a trophy presented annually by the National Cartoonist Society to the outstanding cartoonist of the year. </DL>
<A NAME="reubensandwich">
<B>Reuben sandwich,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut served hot. </DL>
<A NAME="reunification">
<B>reunification, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the action or process of reunifying. <DD><B> 2. </B>the condition of being reunified. <BR> <I>Ex. One can imagine the Japanese reaction to the reunification of Korea under communist leadership (Survey).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="reunify">
<B>reunify, </B>transitive verb, <B>-fied,</B> <B>-fying.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to bring back together again; unify again. <BR> <I>Ex. Before them ... lay the ... instruments for reunifying Europe--the treaties that would establish the Western European Common Market and the European Atomic Energy Commission (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="reunion">
<B>reunion, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act or process of coming together again. <BR> <I>Ex. the reunion of parted friends. We have a family reunion at Thanksgiving.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the fact or state of being reunited. <DD><B> 3. </B>a social gathering of persons who have been separated or who have interests in common. <BR> <I>Ex. a class reunion.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="reunionism">
<B>reunionism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the principles of reunionists; the belief in reunion. </DL>
<A NAME="reunionist">
<B>reunionist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who believes in or works for reunion, especially reunion of the Anglican Church with the Roman Catholic Church. </DL>
<A NAME="reunionistic">
<B>reunionistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with reunionism or reunionists. </DL>
<A NAME="reunite">
<B>reunite, </B>verb, <B>-nited,</B> <B>-niting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to bring together again. <BR> <I>Ex. to reunite a family. Mother and child were reunited after years of separation.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to come together again. noun <B>reuniter.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="reup">
<B>re-up, </B>intransitive verb, <B>-upped,</B> <B>-upping.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Slang.) to rejoin the army, navy, or other armed services; reenlist. <BR> <I>Ex. More cooks, truck drivers, and other practitioners of "soft skills" actually "re-up" ... than the services need (Newsweek).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="reupholster">
<B>reupholster, </B>transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to put new upholstery on. </DL>
<A NAME="reusability">
<B>reusability, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> reusable condition or quality. </DL>
<A NAME="reusable">
<B>reusable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be used again. </DL>
<A NAME="reuse">
<B>reuse, </B>verb, <B>-used,</B> <B>-using,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to use again. <BR> <I>Ex. Almost all swimming pools built today are filtered, reusing the same water (Newsweek).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> the act of using again. </DL>
<A NAME="rev">
<B>rev, </B>noun, verb, <B>revved,</B> <B>revving.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><I>noun </I> a revolution (of an engine or motor). <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to increase the speed of (an engine or motor). <DD><B> 2. </B>Usually <B>rev up.</B> (Figurative.) <DD><B> a. </B>to stimulate. <BR> <I>Ex. About the time I got out of college ... there were a bunch of idealistic youths who had been revved up by a bunch of articulate and persuasive politicians (Carlton Gladder).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>to increase in tempo; accelerate. <BR> <I>Ex. The New London Faust (stereo) ... offers lofty heights and deep lows ... And the symphonic postludes have been revved up rather than intensified (Saturday Review).</I> <DD><B> c. </B>to raise; step up. <BR> <I>Ex. In auto racing, purse money was revved up (Bill Braddock).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to increase, as in speed or action. </DL>
<A NAME="rev">
<B>rev.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an abbreviation for the following: <DD><B> 1. </B>revenue. <DD><B> 2. </B>reverse. <DD><B> 3. </B>review. <DD><B> 4a. </B>revise. <DD><B> b. </B>revised. <DD><B> c. </B>revision. <DD><B> 5. </B>revolution. <DD><B> 6. </B>revolving. </DL>
<A NAME="rev">
<B>Rev.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>Revelation (book of the Bible). <DD><B> 2. </B>Reverend. </DL>
<B>revalidate, </B>transitive verb, <B>-dated,</B> <B>-dating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to validate or confirm anew. <BR> <I>Ex. From July 1 to December 1, all citizens and aliens were required to revalidate their identity cards (William S. Stokes).</I> noun <B>revalidation.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="revalorize">
<B>revalorize, </B>transitive verb, <B>-ized,</B> <B>-izing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to assign a new value to (as a currency or price); valorize anew. noun <B>revalorization.</B> </DL>
