Wiktionary
n. 1 On a typewriter or computer printer, the action that returns it to the beginning of the line. 2 (context computing English) The control character (0x0D in ASCII, abbreviated as CR) that originally signaled a device to perform a carriage return, but now merely indicates the end of a line of text. 3 The key or lever that initiates the carriage return action (on a typewriter) or generates the carriage return character (on a computer)
WordNet
n. the operation that prepares for the next character to be printed or displayed as the first character on a line
Wikipedia
A carriage return, sometimes known as a cartridge return and often shortened to CR, or return, is a control character or mechanism used to reset a device's position to the beginning of a line of text. It is closely associated with the line feed and newline concepts, although it can be considered separately in its own right.
Usage examples of "carriage return".
But he likes the typewriters as objects even more: the enameled keys with their silver rings, the gold engraving on the black casing, the satisfying thunk of the carriage return.
If you think about it, Alan, thirty-two letters are all well and good--as a matter of fact, they are essential--for a teletype scheme, because you have to have special characters like line feed and carriage return.
A carriage return without a paper feed would result in an overline.
This uses ASCII characters, with end of line denoted by a carriage return followed by a line feed.
He sat and looked at it, then worked the carriage return lever and typed the phrase again.