title: what does "return this.each()" do in jQuery?
body: <p>I'm looking at a jQuery plugin, which has a single function.  After setting up the appropriate defaults though a constructor argument the function defines a couple of helper functions, and then as the last part returns a call to this.each(), like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>return this.each(function() {
   //long method defined here
  });
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I understand the use of this.each() in modifying matching DOM elements and such, but what does the return statement accomplish?  Some sort of array of modified DOM elements, which can then be chained in other calls?  </p>
  
  <p>I've read about this.each on this site but I can't quite figure what the <code>return</code> does here.  Thanks for helping clear this up.</p>