Hard Return


A return is the process of jumping from the end of one line of text to the beginning of the next line. Word processors utilize two types of returns: hard returns and soft returns.

A hard return is an actual symbol inserted into the text. The hard-return symbol is usually invisible, but most word processors support a mode that lets you see them. Whenever you press the Return or Enter key while editing a document, the word processor inserts a hard return.

Hard returns cause the word processor to start a new line regardless of how margins are set. Therefore, if a document contains hard returns, the lines will end at the same place even if you change the margins. In contrast, soft returns, inserted by the program rather than the user, depend on how the margins are set.

Read Also:

  • Hardware

    Refers to objects that you can actually touch, like disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards, and chips. In contrast, software is untouchable. Software exists as ideas, concepts, and symbols, but it has no substance. Books provide a useful analogy. The pages and the ink are the hardware, while the words, sentences, paragraphs, and […]

  • hardwired

    Refers to elements of a program or device that cannot be changed. Originally, the term was used to describe functionality that was built into the circuitry (i.e., the wires) of a device. Nowadays, however, the term is also used to describe constants built into software.

  • hash tag

    A hash tag or hashtag is a way of organizing your Tweets for Twitter search engines. Users simply prefix a message with a community driven hash tag to enable others to discover relevant posts. One commonly used hash tag on twitter is #followfriday where users network by providing the names of their favorite people to […]

  • Hashing

    Producing hash values for accessing data or for security. A hash value (or simply hash), also called a message digest, is a number generated from a string of text. The hash is substantially smaller than the text itself, and is generated by a formula in such a way that it is extremely unlikely that some […]

  • haxie

    Formed from the combination of the words hack and Mac OS X, a haxie is a hack specifically designed for use with the Mac OS X operating system. The term was coined by software company Unsanity.


Disclaimer: Hard Return definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.