returning
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.coming back to a place you were at before.
v.the act of coming back to a previous location or state; used as a present participle to indicate ongoing motion.
Simple“The birds are returning to the park now that spring has arrived.”
In context“Returning to the village after twenty years, he found that the quiet lanes of his childhood had been replaced by busy paved roads.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.giving or sending something back to its owner or where it belongs.
v.the act of restoring or giving back an item to its original possessor or location.
Simple“I am returning these library books because they are already overdue.”
In context“The customer service department is currently returning all faulty units to the manufacturer for a full technical inspection.”
UsageTransitive verb taking a direct object.
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.the event of someone or something coming back.
n.the action or instance of coming back to a place or a previous condition.
Simple“The fans celebrated the player's returning to the team after his injury.”
In context“The returning of the stolen artifacts to their country of origin was a significant diplomatic victory for the ministry.”
Usage returning home · returning officer