refund

Everyday

1. A refund is money given back to you, usually because you returned something you bought or a service did not happen. tree →
2. To refund is to give someone their money back. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, refund problems mean adding back money that was spent: if you spent ten dollars and got a refund of four, you are only six dollars down. In everyday life, shops have rules about refunds and usually ask for the receipt. Phrases: «get a refund», «ask for a refund», «full refund», «refund policy».

Examples

• The toy was broken, so Mum asked for a refund. tree →
• The shop gave us a full refund. tree →
• Keep the receipt in case you need a refund. tree →
• The concert was cancelled, so they refunded our tickets. tree →
• I got a refund of three pounds. tree →
• Some shops will not refund sale items. tree →
• If you get a refund of 5 dollars on a 12-dollar game, you paid 7 dollars in the end. tree →
• The airline refunded the money a week later. tree →

Note

Countable noun: a refund, refunds. Stress is on the first part for the noun (RE-fund) and often on the second for the verb (re-FUND). A refund is different from an exchange, where you swap the item for another instead of getting money back. In maths, a refund is subtracted from what was spent.