to return a courtesy

[Rekin]

Does phrase 'to return a courtesy' exist? If exists, what does it mean?

 

[J&K Tutoring]

It could mean either of two things:

1. Most likely, someone did something nice for/to you, so you want to do something nice for/to them.

2. You can look up the word curtsy or curtsey, a kind of greeting by a girl or a woman that could be returned. They're variations on a word derived long ago from courtesy.

 

[Peedeebee]

I think most Brits would be rather puzzled by that phrase. we are used to saying... Return the compliment (if someone said something)/ return the favour (if someone DID something/ . Courtesy to us means Politeness. You don't think of having one of them- A Courtesy.

 

[Raymott]

True, but you don't think of having a compliment either, even though, as you say, you can return one - which raises the question: If someone gives you a compliment, and you give the same compliment back, do you still have it?

 

[SoothingDave]

Return the courtesy sounds OK to me. Say there was some reciprocal arrangement. Like you come to my home town/country and I show you around and play host, etc. When I visit your town, you return the courtesy.