reverse

[ ri-vurs ]

/ rɪˈvɜrs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reverse ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or character: an impression reverse to what was intended; in reverse sequence.

with the back or rear part toward the observer: the reverse side of a fabric.

pertaining to or producing movement in a mechanism opposite to that made under ordinary running conditions: a reverse gear; a reverse turbine.

acting in a manner opposite or contrary to that which is usual, as an appliance or apparatus.

noting or pertaining to an image like that seen in a mirror; backward; reversed.

noting or pertaining to printed matter in which what is normally white, as the page of a book, appears as black, and vice versa.

noun

the opposite or contrary of something.

the back or rear of anything.

Numismatics.

the side of a coin, medal, etc., that does not bear the principal design (opposed to obverse).
the side of an ancient coin that was struck by the upper die.

an adverse change of fortune; a misfortune, check, or defeat: to meet with an unexpected reverse.

Machinery.

the condition of being reversed: to throw an engine into reverse.
a reversing mechanism.

Football. a play on offense in which one back running laterally hands the ball to another back who is running in the opposite direction and who then makes either an end run or a cutback.

Bridge. reverse bid.

Printing. printed matter in which areas that normally appear as white are printed in black, and vice versa.

verb (used with object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

to turn in an opposite position; transpose: The printer accidently reversed two chapters of the book.

to turn in the opposite direction; send on the opposite course.

to turn inside out or upside down.

to change the direction of running of (a mechanism).

to cause (a mechanism) to run in a direction opposite to that in which it commonly runs.

to revoke or annul (a decree, judgment, etc.): to reverse a verdict.

to alter to the opposite in character or tendency; change completely.

to turn in the opposite order: to reverse the process of evolution.

Printing. to print as a reverse.

verb (used without object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

to shift into reverse gear: The driver drove forward, then reversed.

(of a mechanism) to be reversed.

to turn or move in the opposite or contrary direction, as in dancing.

Bridge. to make a reverse bid.

Nearby words

revers, reversal, reversal film, reversal plate, reversal process, reverse, reverse angle shot, reverse annuity mortgage, reverse apartheid, reverse bar, reverse bevel

Origin of reverse

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English revers < Old French < Latin reversus, past participle of revertere to revert (see verse); (v.) Middle English reversen < Old French reverser < Late Latin reversāre, frequentative of revertere

SYNONYMS FOR reverse

1 converse.

7 converse, counterpart.

10 mishap, misadventure, affliction.

20 repeal, veto, countermand, rescind, overthrow.

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ANTONYMS FOR reverse

1 same.

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Related forms

re·vers·ed·ly

[ri-vur-sid-lee, -vurst-lee] /rɪˈvɜr sɪd li, -ˈvɜrst li/, adverbre·verse·ly, adverbre·vers·er, nounhalf-re·versed, adjective

non·re·verse, adjective, nounnon·re·versed, adjectivenon·re·vers·ing, adjectivepre·re·verse, noun, verb (used with object), pre·re·versed, pre·re·vers·ing.un·re·versed, adjective

Can be confusedconverse inverse obverse reverse

Synonym study

1. See opposite. 15, 17. Reverse, invert agree in meaning to change into a contrary position, order, or relation. To reverse is to place or move something so that it is facing in the opposite direction from the one faced previously: to reverse from right to left; to reverse a decision. To invert is to turn upside down: to invert a stamp in printing; to invert a bowl over a plate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for reverse

But Republican and Democratic parties have made efforts to reverse that trend.
Asian-Americans Are The New Florida|Tim Mak|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So now the company is asking the FCC to, in effect, reverse itself.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My trip takes the reverse path, and I begin by assessing the depth of my Shakespeare knowledge in his birthplace.
Biking With the Bard|Kara Cutruzzula|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ditto Virginia, but in reverse; culturally, northern Virginia is Yankee land (but with gun shops).
Dems, It’s Time to Dump Dixie|Michael Tomasky|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Europeans seem to find them exotic, an odd case of culture-envy in reverse.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Could he reverse the steering-gear in all that flame and smoke?
Egholm and his God|Johannes Buchholtz
The signet is hung upon a swivel, and has hieroglyphics on what may be called the reverse.
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 455|Various
How fatal then, how tormenting, how intolerable, must her reverse of fortune be!
The Adventures of Roderick Random|Tobias Smollett
Christopher could afford to be magnanimous toward Alan, now that Elisabeth was the reverse.
The Farringdons|Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler
Turn your minds eye upon the reverse of all this false felicity and you will perceive the true happiness.
Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's 'De Consolatione Philosophiae'|Geoffrey Chaucer

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

reverse

/ (rɪˈvɜːs) /

verb (mainly tr)

to turn or set in an opposite direction, order, or position

to change into something different or contrary; alter completelyreverse one's policy

(also intr) to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite directionto reverse a car

to run (machinery, etc) in the opposite direction to normal

to turn inside out

law to revoke or set aside (a judgment, decree, etc); annul

(often foll by out) to print from plates so made that white lettering or design of (a page, text, display, etc) appears on a black or coloured background

reverse arms military to turn one's arms upside down, esp as a token of mourning

reverse the charge or reverse the charges to make a telephone call at the recipient's expense

noun

the opposite or contrary of something

the back or rear side of something

a change to an opposite position, state, or direction

a change for the worse; setback or defeat

the mechanism or gears by which machinery, a vehicle, etc, can be made to reverse its direction
(as modifier)reverse gear

the side of a coin bearing a secondary designCompare obverse (def. 5)

printed matter in which normally black or coloured areas, esp lettering, appear white, and vice versa
(as modifier)reverse plates

in reverse in an opposite or backward direction

the reverse of emphatically not; not at allhe was the reverse of polite when I called

adjective

opposite or contrary in direction, position, order, nature, etc; turned backwards

back to front; inverted

operating or moving in a manner contrary to that which is usual

denoting or relating to a mirror image

Derived Formsreversely, adverbreverser, noun

Word Origin for reverse

C14: from Old French, from Latin reversus, from revertere to turn back

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reverse (1 of 3)

reverse

adj.

c.1300, from Old French revers "reverse, cross, opposite" (13c.), from Latin reversus, past participle of revertere "turn back, turn about, come back, return" (see revert). Reverse angle in film-making is from 1934. Reverse discrimination is attested from 1962, American English.

Word Origin and History for reverse (1 of 3)

reverse

mid-14c., "opposite or contrary" (of something), from reverse (adj.) or from Old French Related: revers "the opposite, reverse." Meaning "a defeat, a change of fortune" is from 1520s; meaning "back side of a coin" is from 1620s. Of gear-shifts in motor cars, from 1875. As a type of sports play (originally rugby) it is recorded from 1921.

Word Origin and History for reverse (2 of 3)

reverse

early 14c. (transitive), "change, alter;" early 15c. (intransitive), "go backward," from Old French reverser "reverse, turn around; roll, turn up" (12c.), from Late Latin reversare "turn about, turn back," frequentative of Latin revertere (see revert). Related: Reversed; reversing.

reverse

adjective

noun

verb (used with object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

verb (used without object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

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Origin of reverse

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for reverse

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

reverse

verb (mainly tr)

noun

adjective

Word Origin for reverse

Word Origin and History for reverse (1 of 3)

reverse

Word Origin and History for reverse (1 of 3)

reverse

Word Origin and History for reverse (2 of 3)

reverse