reverse

American  

[ri-vurs] / rɪˈvɜrs /

adjective

1. opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or character.

   an impression reverse to what was intended; in reverse sequence.

   Synonyms:

   converse

   Antonyms:

   same

2. with the back or rear part toward the observer.

   the reverse side of a fabric.

3. pertaining to or producing movement in a mechanism opposite to that made under ordinary running conditions.

   a reverse gear; a reverse turbine.

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

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

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

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noun

1. the opposite or contrary of something.

   Synonyms:

   counterpart, converse

2. the back or rear of anything.

3. Numismatics.

   1. the side of a coin, medal, etc., that does not bear the principal design (obverse ).

   2. the side of an ancient coin that was struck by the upper die.

4. an adverse change of fortune; a misfortune, check, or defeat.

   to meet with an unexpected reverse.

   Synonyms:

   affliction, misadventure, mishap

5. Machinery.

   1. the condition of being reversed.

      to throw an engine into reverse.

   2. a reversing mechanism.

6. 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.

7. Bridge. reverse bid.

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

verb (used with object)

reversed, reversing

1. to turn in an opposite position; transpose.

   The printer accidently reversed two chapters of the book.

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

3. to turn inside out or upside down.

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

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

6. to revoke or annul (a decree, judgment, etc.).

   to reverse a verdict.

   Synonyms:

   overthrow, rescind, countermand, veto, repeal

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

8. to turn in the opposite order.

   to reverse the process of evolution.

9. Printing. to print as a reverse.

verb (used without object)

reversed, reversing

1. to shift into reverse gear.

   The driver drove forward, then reversed.

2. (of a mechanism) to be reversed.

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

4. Bridge. to make a reverse bid.

reverse British  

/ rɪˈvɜːs /

verb

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

2. to change into something different or contrary; alter completely

   reverse one's policy

3. (also intr) to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite direction

   to reverse a car

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

5. to turn inside out

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

7. (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

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

9. to make a telephone call at the recipient's expense

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noun

1. the opposite or contrary of something

2. the back or rear side of something

3. a change to an opposite position, state, or direction

4. a change for the worse; setback or defeat

5. 1. the mechanism or gears by which machinery, a vehicle, etc, can be made to reverse its direction

   2. ( as modifier )

      reverse gear

6. the side of a coin bearing a secondary design Compare obverse

7. 1. printed matter in which normally black or coloured areas, esp lettering, appear white, and vice versa

   2. ( as modifier )

      reverse plates

8. in an opposite or backward direction

9. emphatically not; not at all

   he was the reverse of polite when I called

adjective

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

2. back to front; inverted

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

4. denoting or relating to a mirror image

Related Words

See opposite. 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.

Other Word Forms

• half-reversed adjective
• nonreverse adjective
• nonreversed adjective
• nonreversing adjective
• prereverse noun
• reversedly adverb
• reversely adverb
• reverser noun
• unreversed adjective

Etymology

Origin of reverse

First recorded in 1275–1325; (for the noun) Middle English revers, from Old French, from Latin reversus “turned back,” past participle of revertere “to turn back” ( revert ); (for the verb) Middle English reversen, from Old French reverser, from Late Latin reversāre “to turn around,” literally, “to turn back repeatedly,” from revertere

Example Sentences

Russian women say the idea of "therapising" them into having children is coercive, cruel and unworkable, and will do little to reverse declining birth rates -- currently at their lowest in 200 years.

From Barron's

Stocks surged on Tuesday, but it still wasn’t enough to reverse a major pullback brought on by the Iran war.

From Barron's

There’s a theory many chart watchers subscribe to about how the roles of technical support and resistance can reverse.

From MarketWatch

Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said if higher rates are sustained, "this could reverse some of the improvement in housing affordability that has taken place in recent years".

From BBC

Even if the war ends swiftly and the strait reopens, some of the losses won’t be easily reversed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alter
• annul
• dismantle
• invalidate
• lift
• modify
• nullify
• overrule
• overturn
• quash
• repeal
• rescind
• revoke
• set aside
• undo