reverse

[ ri-vurs ]
See synonyms for: reversereversedreversing on Thesaurus.com

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

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

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

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

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

  4. 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
  1. the opposite or contrary of something.

  2. the back or rear of anything.

  1. 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.

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

  3. Machinery.

    • the condition of being reversed: to throw an engine into reverse.

    • a reversing mechanism.

  4. 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.

  5. Bridge. reverse bid.

  6. 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.
  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.

  1. to turn inside out or upside down.

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

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

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

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

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

  7. Printing. to print as a reverse.

verb (used without object),re·versed, re·vers·ing.
  1. to shift into reverse gear: The driver drove forward, then reversed.

  2. (of a mechanism) to be reversed.

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

  2. Bridge. to make a reverse bid.

Origin of reverse

1
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” (see 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

synonym study For reverse

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.

Other words for reverse

Opposites for reverse

Other words from reverse

  • re·vers·ed·ly [ri-vur-sid-lee, -vurst-lee], /rɪˈvɜr sɪd li, -ˈvɜrst li/, adverb
  • re·verse·ly, adverb
  • re·vers·er, noun
  • half-re·versed, adjective
  • non·re·verse, adjective, noun
  • non·re·versed, adjective
  • non·re·vers·ing, adjective
  • pre·re·verse, noun, verb (used with object), pre·re·versed, pre·re·vers·ing.
  • un·re·versed, adjective

Words that may be confused with reverse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use reverse in a sentence

  • The perfume of flowers is delighted in, and, reversely, disagreeable odours repel.

    The Coming of the Fairies | Arthur Conan Doyle
  • It was forgotten that, reversely, if we have property, we must always have armies and fleets to protect it.

    Ten Years Near the German Frontier | Maurice Francis Egan
  • All parts of each of the two trees that rise from the bottom of the field are reversely duplicated in the other.

    Oriental Rugs | Walter A. Hawley
  • Reversely, the greater the velocity of lead, the greater its effect on the object struck.

    Gunnery in 1858 | William Greener
  • Reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the conscience if one is not properly called.

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

reverse

/ (rɪˈvɜːs) /


verb(mainly tr)
  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

  1. (also intr) to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite direction: to reverse a car

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

  3. to turn inside out

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

  5. (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

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

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

noun
  1. the opposite or contrary of something

  2. the back or rear side of something

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

  2. 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

  3. the side of a coin bearing a secondary design: Compare obverse (def. 5)

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

    • (as modifier): reverse plates

  4. in reverse in an opposite or backward direction

  5. the reverse of 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

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

  2. denoting or relating to a mirror image

Origin of reverse

1
C14: from Old French, from Latin reversus, from revertere to turn back

Derived forms of reverse

  • reversely, adverb
  • reverser, noun

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