word-vault

{ "term": "return", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "return", "heSheIt": "returns" }, "pastSimple": "returned", "pastParticiple": "returned", "ingForm": "returning" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to come or go back from one place to another", "sensetop": "return to…return from…", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "I waited a long time for him to return." }, { "text": "returning emigrants/exiles/refugees *(= who are coming home after being away)*" }, { "text": "She's returning to Australia tomorrow after six months in Europe.", "contextForm": "return to…" }, { "text": "He had **recently returned **to this country after living in Spain." }, { "text": "I had to return to the store to look for my purse." }, { "text": "I returned from work to find the house empty.", "contextForm": "return from…" }, { "text": "People were **returning home** for the weekend." }, { "text": "They were forced to return to the port because of bad weather." }, { "text": "The prime minister recently returned from a summit at Camp David." }, { "text": "We locked the door in case Mary returned unexpectedly." }, { "text": "He finally returned with the drinks." }, { "text": "The patient subsequently returned for surgery." }, { "text": "She was preparing to return to El Salvador." }, { "text": "She quickly returned to the car and sped off." }, { "text": "Our aircraft all returned safely to their bases." }, { "text": "She had recently returned from Paris." }, { "text": "Charlie reluctantly returned to his seat." }, { "text": "I couldn't wait to return from my travels." }, { "text": "I will have to ask that you return directly to your houses." }, { "text": "When did she return home from the trip?" }, { "text": "They returned to find the house had been burgled." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to bring, give, put or send something back to somebody/something", "sensetop": "return somebody/something to somebody/somethingreturn somethingreturn somebody/something + adj.", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "We had to return the hairdryer to the store because it was faulty.", "contextForm": "return somebody/something to somebody/something" }, { "text": "I must return some books to the library." }, { "text": "The court ordered him to return the children to their mother." }, { "text": "Completed questionnaires should be returned to this address." }, { "text": "He refused to return our money.", "contextForm": "return something" }, { "text": "I returned the letter unopened.", "contextForm": "return somebody/something + adj." }, { "text": "I offered to return his Christmas gift to me." }, { "text": "She never returned the book to me." }, { "text": "See that the documents are returned promptly, please." }, { "text": "He was immediately returned to his jail cell." }, { "text": "Don't forget to return my pen!" } ], "topics": ["Shopping"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "to come back again", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The following day the pain returned." }, { "text": "There's a chance the cancer will return." }, { "text": "Confidence returned and prices started to rise." }, { "text": "The bad weather has **returned with a vengeance**." }, { "text": "His headache returned instantly." }, { "text": "Her symptoms returned periodically." }, { "text": "My strength was slowly returning to me." }, { "text": "There are positive signs that peace is returning." }, { "text": "the tears that threatened to return" }, { "text": "Her suspicions returned when things started going missing again." } ], "synonyms": "reappear, resurface", "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "to start discussing a subject you were discussing earlier, or doing an activity you were doing earlier", "sensetop": "return to something", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "He returns to this topic later in the report." }, { "text": "She looked up briefly then returned to her sewing." }, { "text": "The doctor may allow her to **return to work** next week." }, { "text": "Suspicions were aroused when he failed to return to work on Monday morning." }, { "text": "Ali returned triumphantly to boxing in 1970." }, { "text": "Lack of cash forced her to return to work." }, { "text": "His conversation returns repeatedly to the same subjects." }, { "text": "Let me return briefly to this question." }, { "text": "She is due to return to school in a fortnight." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "to go back to a previous state", "sensetop": "return to something", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Train services have **returned to normal** after the strike." }, { "text": "The land has returned to its natural state." }, { "text": "Many find returning to civilian life difficult." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "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", "sensetop": "return something", "examples": [ { "text": "to return a smile/gaze/greeting" }, { "text": "If you assist people when they ask for help, it is more likely they will **return the favour**." }, { "text": "She phoned him several times but he was too busy to **return her call**." }, { "text": "It's time we returned their invitation *(= invite them to something as they invited us first)*." }, { "text": "‘You were both wonderful!’ ‘So were you!’ we said, returning the compliment." }, { "text": "to return a kiss *(= to kiss somebody with the same enthusiasm with which they kiss you)*" }, { "text": "He did not return her love." }, { "text": "to **return fire** *(= to shoot at somebody who is shooting at you)*" }, { "text": "Kevin gladly returned her hug." }, { "text": "He hadn't bothered to return her messages." }, { "text": "He soon falls in love with Amanda, but she does not return his affection." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["recently", "shortly", "promptly"], "verb + return": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be likely to"], "preposition": ["from", "to"] } }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "to hit the ball back to your opponent during a game", "sensetop": "return something", "cefr": "c2", "examples": [ { "text": "to return a service/shot" } ], "topics": ["Sports: ball and racket sports"] }, { "senseNumber": 8, "definition": "to give a decision about something in court", "sensetop": "return a verdict", "cefr": "c2", "examples": [ { "text": "The jury returned a verdict of not guilty." }, { "text": "The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death." } ], "topics": ["Preferences and decisions"] }, { "senseNumber": 9, "definition": "to elect somebody to a political position", "sensetop": "be returned (as something)be returned (to something)", "labels": "(British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "She was returned as MP for Edgbaston in the last election.", "contextForm": "be returned (as something)" }, { "text": "He was returned to Parliament with an increased majority.", "contextForm": "be returned (to something)" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 10, "definition": "to give or produce a particular amount of money as a profit or loss", "sensetop": "return something", "labels": "(business)", "examples": [ { "text": "to return a high rate of interest" }, { "text": "Last year the company returned a loss of £157 million." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːn/", "audio": "re/return/return__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːnz/", "audio": "re/return/returns__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːnd/", "audio": "re/return/returned__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːnɪŋ/", "audio": "re/return/returning__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːrn/", "audio": "re/return/return__us_2.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːrnz/", "audio": "re/return/returns__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːrnd/", "audio": "re/return/returned__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/", "audio": "re/return/returning__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Middle English: the verb from Old French returner, from Latin re- ‘back’ + tornare ‘to turn’; the noun via Anglo-Norman French." }