return

by return mail and by return post

by a subsequent mailing (back to the sender). (A phrase indicating that an answer is expected very soon, by mail.) Since this bill is overdue, would you kindly send us your check by return mail? I answered your request by return post over a year ago. Please check your records.

See also: and, mail, post

come back to haunt one and return to haunt one

Fig. [for a bad memory] to recur; for the consequences of a bad decision to affect one negatively later. I never dreamed that a little thing like a traffic ticket could come back to haunt me years later.

See also: back, come, one

in return for (someone or something)

by way of giving something back; as a way of paying someone back for something; as part of an exchange. I helped Tom yesterday, and he helped me in return for my efforts. I paid $20 and received four tickets in return.

point of no return

the halfway point; the point at which it is too late to turn back. (Often with past.) The flight was past the point of no return, so we had to continue to our destination. The entire project is past the point of no return; we will have to continue with it.

See also: point

return someone or something to someone

to give someone or something back to someone. Please return my tools to me. Would you return my book to me soon?

return something for something

to give or payback something for something. The clerk returned the correct change for a twenty-dollar bill. I hope that the product returns good value for my money.

return from

some place to come back from some place. I just returned from a research trip in the Amazon basin. When will they return from their vacation?

return the compliment and return someone's compliment

to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment. Mary told me that my hair looked nice, so I returned her compliment and told her that her hair was lovely. When someone says something nice, it is polite to return the compliment.

See also: compliment

return the favor

to do a good deed for someone who has done a good deed for you. You helped me last week, so I'll return the favor and help you this week. There is no point in helping Bill He'll never return the favor.

See also: favor

return to some place

to go or come back to some place. When do you plan to return to your home? I will return there when I have finished here.

See also: place, some

return with something

to come back with something. He went to town and returned with the doctor just in time. She returned with the material they had requested.

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return the compliment

to do something for someone because they have done something for you Thanks for looking after the house while we were away. I hope I'll be able to return the compliment some time.

See also: compliment

the point of no return

the time in an activity when you cannot stop doing it but must continue to the end And although I was bored, I'd already spent so much time doing the research for the novel that I felt I'd reached the point of no return.

See miss the point

See also: point

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in return (for something)

in exchange for something As a teenager, he worked at a nearby golf course in return for lessons.

return the compliment

1. to do something for someone because they have done something for you Our neighbors looked after the house while we were away, and we'll return the compliment when they go on vacation.

2. to do or say something unfriendly to someone because they have made you angry The batter was thrown out of the game, so he returned the compliment by calling the umpire a fool.

Related vocabulary: return the favor

See also: compliment

return the favor

to do something similar to someone who has behaved badly to you The other team's fans are nasty to us, and our fans can't wait to return the favor.

Related vocabulary: return the compliment

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of return the favor (to do something similar for someone who has done something good for you)

See also: favor