return the compliment

return the compliment
return the compliment & return someone's compliment
to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment. •

Mary told me that my hair looked nice, so I returned her compliment and told her that her hair was lovely.

•

When someone says something nice, it is polite to return the compliment.

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{v. phr.} To say or do the same to someone that he has said or done to you; pay someone back. * /Mary said, "I love your new hairdo" and Suzy returned the compliment with "What a pretty dress you're wearing, Mary."/ * /John punched Jerry in the nose, and Jerry returned the compliment./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • return the compliment — {v. phr.} To say or do the same to someone that he has said or done to you; pay someone back. * /Mary said, I love your new hairdo and Suzy returned the compliment with What a pretty dress you re wearing, Mary. / * /John punched Jerry in the nose …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • return the compliment — phrase to do something for someone in return for something that they did for you He lent me several of his CDs, and I’d like to return the compliment. Thesaurus: to reward someone s kindnesssynonym Main entry: compliment * * * give a compliment… …   Useful english dictionary

  • return the compliment — ► return the compliment retaliate or respond in kind. Main Entry: ↑compliment …   English terms dictionary

  • return the compliment — 1. to do something for someone because they have done something for you. Our neighbors looked after the house while we were away, and we ll return the compliment when they go on vacation. 2. to do or say something unfriendly to someone because… …   New idioms dictionary

  • return the compliment — to do something for someone in return for something that they did for you He lent me several of his CDs, and I d like to return the compliment …   English dictionary

  • return\ the\ compliment — v. phr. To say or do the same to someone that he has said or done to you; pay someone back. Mary said, I love your new hairdo and Suzy returned the compliment with What a pretty dress you re wearing, Mary. John punched Jerry in the nose, and… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • return the compliment — retaliate or respond in kind. → compliment …   English new terms dictionary

  • return the compliment — complement someone after they have complemented you …   English contemporary dictionary

  • return the favor — to do something similar to someone who has behaved badly to you. The other team s fans are nasty to us, and our fans can t wait to return the favor. Related vocabulary: return the compliment Etymology: based on the literal meaning of return the… …   New idioms dictionary

  • compliment — ► NOUN 1) an expression of praise or admiration, either in words or by an action. 2) (compliments) formal greetings. ► VERB ▪ politely congratulate or praise. ● return the compliment Cf. ↑return the compliment …   English terms dictionary

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