return (redirected from paying back)

return

In programming, upon completion of a routine or function, to go back to the point in the program that called the operation. When a function returns control, it may also return a result in the form of a value. For example, "the read function returns a -1 if the read fails" means that if the computer cannot read the file, before returning from the function, it stores a -1 in a variable defined by the programmer. See function. See also enter key and return code.

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return

1. Politics a statement of the votes counted at an election or poll

2. Architect

a. a part of a building that forms an angle with the fa?ade

b. any part of an architectural feature that forms an angle with the main part

3. Law a report by a bailiff or other officer on the outcome of a formal document such as a claim, summons, etc., issued by a court

4. Cards a lead of a card in the suit that one's partner has previously led