From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreturn the complimentreturn the complimentto behave towards someone in the same way as they have behaved towards you They didn’t take a lot of notice of me, and I returned the compliment. → compliment
Examples from the Corpus
return the compliment• What else to do but return the compliment?• Hardin returned the compliment with a blaster specifically borrowed for the occasion.• As she pulled on a tan leather blouson, she eyed me warily, and I returned the compliment.• One year later, the Eastbourne Road school is returning the compliment.• If they failed to understand the settled peasants, the latter returned the compliment.• I have ventured into the use of your name several times but you have not returned the compliment.• Characteristically, Scargill is not returning the compliment and is not planning to co-operate with the alliance.• Cheltenham's Tory faithful welcomed the Lady and she returned the compliment. 