To report means to give information about something that happened, often to someone in authority or to a wider audience. When a student reports what they learned on a field trip, they're sharing the facts and details with their class. When a journalist reports the news, she's investigating events and telling the public what she discovered.

The word comes from the idea of carrying back information. Scouts in an army report back to their commanders about enemy positions. A scientist reports her experimental results to other researchers. You might report a lost wallet to the school office, or report suspicious activity to a trusted adult.

A report (as a noun) is the information itself, usually written down in an organized way. Book reports, weather reports, and progress reports all gather facts and present them clearly. If you hear a report of thunder, that's the loud boom it makes. Schools send report cards home to tell parents how students are doing.

Sometimes report means to show up somewhere officially: students report to homeroom each morning, meaning they arrive and check in. When you report for duty, you're presenting yourself as ready to work.