rɪˈvə:s v.,
adj., & n. --v. 1 tr.
turn the other way round or up or
inside out. 2 tr.
change to the
opposite character or
effect (reversed the decision). 3 intr. & tr.
travel or
cause to travel
backwards. 4 tr.
make (an
engine etc.)
work in a
contrary direction. 5 tr.
revoke or
annul (a
decree,
act, etc.). 6 intr. (of a
dancer,
esp. in a waltz)
revolve in the opposite direction. --adj. 1 placed or turned in an opposite direction or
position. 2 opposite or contrary in character or
order; inverted. --n. 1 the opposite or contrary (the reverse is the case; is the reverse of the truth). 2 the contrary of the
usual manner. 3 an
occurrence of
misfortune; a
disaster, esp. a
defeat in
battle (suffered a reverse). 4 reverse
gear or
motion. 5 the reverse
side of
something. 6 a the side of a
coin or
medal etc.
bearing the
secondary design. b
this design (cf. OBVERSE). 7 the
verso of a
leaf. øreverse arms hold a rifle
with the butt upwards. reverse the charges
Brit. make the
recipient of a
telephone call responsible for payment. reverse gear a gear used to make a
vehicle etc. travel backwards. reversing
light a
white light at the rear of a vehicle operated
when the vehicle is in reverse gear. reverse
Polish notation see Polish notation. reverse
strata Geol. a
fault in
which the
overlying side of a mass of rock is displaced
upward in
relation to the
underlying side. øøreversal n. reversely adv. reverser n. reversible adj. reversibility n. reversibly adv. [ME f. OF
revers (n.), reverser (v.), f. L revertere revers(as
RE-, vertere turn)]
