Return vs. Back — What's the Difference?

To go or come back, as to an earlier condition or place

The part of the trunk of the human body along and to the sides of the spine between the neck and the pelvis; the dorsum.

To revert in speech, thought, or practice

The analogous dorsal region in other animals.

To revert to a former owner.

The backbone or spine.

To answer or respond

The part or area farthest from the front.

To send, put, or carry back

The part opposite to or behind that adapted for view or use

To give or send back in reciprocation

The reverse side, as of a coin.

To give back to the owner

A part that supports or strengthens from the rear

To reflect or send back

The part of a book where the pages are stitched or glued together into the binding.

To produce or yield (profit or interest) as a payment for labor, investment, or expenditure.

The binding itself.

To submit (an official report, for example) to a judge or other person in authority.

A player who takes a position behind the front line of other players in certain games, such as football and soccer.

To render or deliver (a writ or verdict, for example) to the proper officer or court of law.

In swimming, backstroke.

To elect or reelect, as to a legislative body.

A shallow vat or tub used chiefly by brewers.

(Games) To respond to (a partner's lead) by leading the same suit in cards.

To cause to move backward or in a reverse direction

(Architecture) To turn away from or place at an angle to the previous line of direction.

To furnish or strengthen with a back or backing.

(Sports) To hit or send back (a tennis ball, for example) to one's opponent.

To provide with financial or material support

(Football) To run with (the ball) after a kickoff, punt, interception, or fumble.

To lend moral support to, as by corroborating a claim. Often used with up

The act or condition of going, coming, bringing, or sending back

To be in favor of; endorse or advocate

The act of bringing or sending something back to a previous place, condition, or owner

To provide with musical accompaniment. Often used with up.

Something brought or sent back.

To bet or wager on.

Returns Merchandise returned, as to a retailer by a consumer or to a wholesaler by a retailer.

To adduce evidence in support of; substantiate

Something that goes or comes back.

To form the back or background of

A recurrence, as of a periodic occasion or event

To move backward

Something exchanged for that received; repayment.

To shift to a counterclockwise direction. Used of the wind.

A reply; a response.

Located or placed in the rear

The profit made on an exchange of goods.

Distant from a center of activity; remote.

Often returns A profit or yield, as from labor or investments.

Of a past date; not current

Output or yield per unit rather than cost per unit, as in the manufacturing of a particular product.

Being owed or due from an earlier time; in arrears

A report, list, or set of statistics, especially one that is formal or official.

Being in a backward direction

Often returns A report on the vote in an election.

(Linguistics) Pronounced with the back of the tongue, as oo in cool. Used of vowels.

Chiefly British An election.

At, to, or toward the rear or back.

(Games) A lead in certain card games that responds to the lead of one's partner.

In, to, or toward a former location

The act of hitting or sending the ball back to one's opponent.

In, to, or toward a former condition

The ball thus sent back.

In, to, or toward a past time

The act of running back the ball after a kickoff, punt, interception, or fumble.

In reserve or concealment

The yardage so gained.

In check or under restraint

The extension of a molding, projection, or other part at an angle (usually 90°) to the main part.

In reply or return

A part of a building set at an angle to the façade.

At or near the rear.

A turn, bend, or similar reversal of direction, as in a stream or road.

(predicative) Returned or restored to a previous place or condition.

A pipe or conduit for carrying something, especially water, back to its starting point.

Not current.

The key or mechanism on a machine, such as a typewriter, that positions the carriage or printing element at the beginning of a new line.

Situated away from the main or most frequented areas.

A key on a computer keyboard or keypad used to begin a new line or paragraph in a text editor.

In arrears; overdue.

Chiefly British A roundtrip ticket.

Moving or operating backward.

The bringing or sending back of a writ, subpoena, or other document, generally with a short written report on it, by a sheriff or other officer to the court from which it was issued.

Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel).

A certified report by an assessor, election officer, collector, or other official.

(not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.

A formal tax statement on the required official form indicating taxable income, allowed deductions, exemptions, and the computed tax that is due. Also called income tax return, tax return.

In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.

Of, relating to, or bringing about a going or coming back to a place or situation

In a direction opposite to the usual or desired direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively.

Given, sent, or done in reciprocation or exchange

So as to reverse direction and return.

Performed, presented, or taking place again

Towards, into or in the past.

Returning or affording return or recirculation

Away from someone or something; at a distance.

Reversing or changing direction.

Away from the front or from an edge.

Having or formed by a reversal or change in direction; returning on itself, as a bend in a road or stream.

So as shrink, recede or move aside, or cause to do so.

(intransitive) To come or go back (to a place or person).

In a manner that impedes.

(intransitive) To go back in thought, narration, or argument.

(not comparable) In a reciprocal manner; in return.

(intransitive) To recur; to come again.

(postpositive) Earlier, ago.

To turn back, retreat.

To a later point in time. See also put back.

To turn (something) round.

The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.

(transitive) To place or put back something where it had been.

The spine and associated tissues.

(transitive) To give something back to its original holder or owner.

Large and attractive buttocks.

(transitive) To take back something to a vendor for a complete or partial refund.

(figurative) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.

To give in requital or recompense; to requite.

The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.

(tennis) To bat the ball back over the net in response to a serve.

(obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing. (Now used only in the phrase clothes on one's back.)

(card games) To play a card as a result of another player's lead.

That which is farthest away from the front.

(cricket) To throw a ball back to the wicket-keeper (or a fielder at that position) from somewhere in the field.

The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.

(transitive) To say in reply; to respond.

The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.

To relinquish control to the calling procedure.

Area behind, such as the backyard of a house.

To pass (data) back to the calling procedure.

The part of something that goes last.

To retort; to throw back.

(sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.

(transitive) To report, or bring back and make known.

(figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.

To elect according to the official report of the election officers.

A support or resource in reserve.

The act of returning.

(nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship.

A return ticket.

(mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage.

An item that is returned, e.g. due to a defect, or the act of returning it.

Effort, usually physical.

An answer.

A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail.

An account, or formal report, of an action performed, of a duty discharged, of facts or statistics, etc.; especially, in the plural, a set of tabulated statistics prepared for general information.

Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.

Gain or loss from an investment.

(swimming) backstroke

A report of income submitted to a government for purposes of specifying exact tax payment amounts; a tax return.

A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.

(computing) A carriage return character.

A ferryboat.

(computing) The act of relinquishing control to the calling procedure.

(intransitive) To go in the reverse direction.

(computing) A return value: the data passed back from a called procedure.

(transitive) To support.

A return pipe, returning fluid to a boiler or other central plant (compare with flow pipe, which carries liquid away from a central plant).

To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

A short perpendicular extension of a desk, usually slightly lower.

To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.

(American football) The act of catching a ball after a punt and running it back towards the opposing team.

To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.

(cricket) A throw from a fielder to the wicket-keeper or to another fielder at the wicket.

To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.

(architecture) The continuation in a different direction, most often at a right angle, of a building, face of a building, or any member, such as a moulding; applied to the shorter in contradistinction to the longer.

(transitive) To push or force backwards.

To turn back; to go or come again to the same place or condition.

To get upon the back of; to mount.

To come back, or begin again, after an interval, regular or irregular; to appear again.

To place or seat upon the back.

To speak in answer; to reply; to respond.

To make a back for; to furnish with a back.

To revert; to pass back into possession.

To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.

To go back in thought, narration, or argument.

To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.

To bring, carry, send, or turn, back; as, to return a borrowed book, or a hired horse.

To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).

To repay; as, to return borrowed money.

To row backward with (oars).

To give in requital or recompense; to requite.

To carry an infant on one's back.

To give back in reply; as, to return an answer; to return thanks.

A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.

To retort; to throw back; as, to return the lie.

A ferryboat. See Bac, 1.

To report, or bring back and make known.

In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster.

To render, as an account, usually an official account, to a superior; to report officially by a list or statement; as, to return a list of stores, of killed or wounded; to return the result of an election.

An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.

Hence, to elect according to the official report of the election officers.

The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail.

To bring or send back to a tribunal, or to an office, with a certificate of what has been done; as, to return a writ.

The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney.

To convey into official custody, or to a general depository.

The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village.

To bat (the ball) back over the net.

The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw.

To lead in response to the lead of one's partner; as, to return a trump; to return a diamond for a club.

A support or resource in reserve.

The act of returning (intransitive), or coming back to the same place or condition; as, the return of one long absent; the return of health; the return of the seasons, or of an anniversary.

The keel and keelson of a ship.

The act of returning (transitive), or sending back to the same place or condition; restitution; repayment; requital; retribution; as, the return of anything borrowed, as a book or money; a good return in tennis.

The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage.

That which is returned.

A garment for the back; hence, clothing.

An answer; as, a return to one's question.

Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements.

The continuation in a different direction, most often at a right angle, of a building, face of a building, or any member, as a molding or mold; - applied to the shorter in contradistinction to the longer; thus, a facade of sixty feet east and west has a return of twenty feet north and south.

Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.

The rendering back or delivery of writ, precept, or execution, to the proper officer or court.

Moving or operating backward; as, back action.

An official account, report, or statement, rendered to the commander or other superior officer; as, the return of men fit for duty; the return of the number of the sick; the return of provisions, etc.

To get upon the back of; to mount.

The turnings and windings of a trench or mine.

To place or seat upon the back.

Document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability;

To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.

A coming to or returning home;

To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books.

The occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction

To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.

Getting something back again;

To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.

The act of returning to a prior location;

To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend.

The income arising from land or other property;

To bet on the success of; - as, to back a race horse.

Happening again (especially at regular intervals);

To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back.

A quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one);

To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; - used of the wind.

The key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed

To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; - said of a dog.

A reciprocal group action;

In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back.

A tennis stroke that returns the ball to the other player;

To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it.

(American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble

To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism.

The act of someone appearing again;

Of time) In times past; ago.

Come back to place where one has been before, or return to a previous activity

Away from contact; by reverse movement.

Give back;

In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another.

Go back to a previous state;

In a state of restraint or hindrance.

Go back to something earlier;

In return, repayment, or requital.

Bring back to the point of departure

In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words.

Return in kind;

In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent.

Make a return;

The posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine;

Answer back

The side that goes last or is not normally seen;

Be restored;

The part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer;

Pay back;

(football) a person who plays in the backfield

Pass down;

The series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord;

Elect again

The front and back covering of a book;

Be inherited by;

The part of a garment that covers your back;

Return to a previous position; in mathematics;

A support that you can lean against while sitting;

Give or supply;

The position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage

Submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority;

Be behind; approve of;

Travel backward;

Give support or one's approval to;

Cause to travel backward;

Support financial backing for;

Be in back of;

Place a bet on;

Shift to a counterclockwise direction;

Establish as valid or genuine;

Strengthen by providing with a back or backing

Related to or located at the back;

Located at or near the back of an animal;

Of an earlier date;

In or to or toward a former location;

At or to or toward the back or rear;

In or to or toward an original condition;

In or to or toward a past time;

In answer;

In repayment or retaliation;