re·turn 1 vt
1 a: to give (an official account or report) to a superior (as by a list or statement)
return the names of all residents in the ward
return a list of jurors
b: to bring back (as a writ, verdict, or indictment) to an office or tribunal
the sheriff must return the execution...to the proper clerk within sixty days — J. H. Friedenthal et al.
the grand jury return ed six indictments
return ed a verdict of not guilty
2: to bring in or produce (as earnings or profit): yield
re·turn·able adj
return 2 n
1 a: the delivery of a court order (as a writ) to the proper officer or court
2: return day
3: an account or formal report (as of an action performed or duty discharged or of facts and statistics)
census return s; esp: a set of tabulated statistics prepared for general information
— usu. used in pl.
4 a: a report of the results of balloting
election return s
b: an official declaration of the election of a candidate
each house shall be the judge of the elections, return s, and qualifications of its own members — U.S. Constitution art. I
5: a formal document executed in accordance with law on a required form showing taxable income, allowable deductions and exemptions, and the computation of the tax due – called also tax return;
6: the profit from labor, investment, or business: yield
7: something returned; specif: a paper (as a check or draft) calling for payment that is returned by a bank to the clearinghouse because of a defect (as lack of funds or insufficient endorsement)
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.