reverse

See also: reversé

English

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɹɪˈvɜːs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɹɪˈvɝs/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

Etymology 1

From Middle English revers, from Anglo-Norman revers, Middle French revers, and their source, Latin reversus, perfect passive participle of reversō, from re- + versō. Doublet of revers.

Adjective

reverse (not comparable)

  1. Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite direction. [from 14th c.]
    We ate the meal in reverse order, starting with dessert and ending with the starter.
    The mirror showed us a reverse view of the scene.
  2. Pertaining to engines, vehicle movement etc. moving in a direction opposite to the usual direction. [from 19th c.]
    He selected reverse gear.
  3. (rail transport, of points) To be in the non-default position; to be set for the lesser-used route.
  4. Turned upside down; greatly disturbed.
  5. (botany) Reversed.
    a reverse shell
  6. (genetics) In which cDNA synthetization is obtained from an RNA template.
Antonyms
  • (antonym(s) of “rail transport”): normal
Derived terms
Translations

Adverb

reverse (not comparable)

  1. (now rare) In a reverse way or direction; in reverse; upside-down. [from 16thc. (from the 14thc. in Middle English)]
    • 1963, Donal Serrell Thomas, Points of Contact:
      The man was killed to feed his image fat / Within this pictured world that ran reverse, / Where miracles alone were ever plain.
Synonyms

Noun

reverse (plural reverses)

  1. The opposite of something. [from 14th c.]
    We believed the Chinese weren't ready for us. In fact, the reverse was true.
  2. The act of going backwards; a reversal. [from 15th c.]
    • 1808, Charles Lamb, Specimens of the English Dramatic Poets Who Lived About the Time of Shakespeare:
      By a reverse of fortune, Stephen becomes rich.
  3. A piece of misfortune; a setback. [from 16th c.]
    • 1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 192:
      And the cold truth such sad reverse did seem
      As to awake in grief from some delightful dream.
    • 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 156:
      Simon Forman was notorious in his day, and was a many of many reverses.
    • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 309:
      In fact, though the Russians did not yet know it, the British had met with a reverse.
  4. (numismatics) The tails side of a coin, or the side of a medal or badge that is opposite the obverse. [from 17th c.]
  5. The side of something facing away from a viewer, or from what is considered the front; the other side. [from 18th c.]
  6. The gear setting of an automobile that makes it travel backwards. [from 19th c.]
    Synonym: reverse gear
  7. A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a backhanded stroke.
  8. (surgery) A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the bandage is changed.
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English reversen, from Anglo-Norman reverser, Middle French reverser, and their source, Latin reversō, from re- + versō.

Verb

reverse (third-person singular simple present reverses, present participle reversing, simple past and past participle reversed)

  1. (transitive) To turn something around so that it faces the opposite direction or runs in the opposite sequence.
    to reverse the order of books on a shelf
    to reverse a portion of video footage
  2. (transitive) To turn something inside out or upside down.
    • 1672, William Temple, Essay on the Original and Nature of Government:
      A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill.
  3. (transitive) To transpose the positions of two things.
  4. (transitive) To change totally; to alter to the opposite.
    All trends reverse eventually.
  5. (obsolete, intransitive) To return, come back.
  6. (obsolete, transitive) To turn away; to cause to depart.
  7. (obsolete, transitive) To cause to return; to recall.
  8. (law) To revoke a law, or to change a decision into its opposite.
    to reverse a judgment, sentence, or decree
    • 2020 April 8, “Network News: Emergency timetables and the number of services cut”, in Rail, page 15:
      From March 30, LNER was running around 40% of its trains and had suspended its Aberdeen, Inverness and Hull services, although it reversed the latter decision after Hull Trains suspended operations.
  9. (ergative, transport) To cause a mechanism to operate or move in the opposite direction to normal; to drive a vehicle in the direction the driver has the back.
    • 1950 January, David L. Smith, “A Runaway at Beattock”, in Railway Magazine, page 54:
      Richardson dropped into the six-foot between the two engines, ran for a few yards, grabbed Mitchell's engine, and swung himself up. Mitchell had got to his feet by this time, but he made no move. Richardson shut off steam, reversed her, and brought her to a stand.
  10. (chemistry) To change the direction of a reaction such that the products become the reactants and vice-versa.
  11. (rail transport, transitive) To place (a set of points) in the reverse position.
  12. (rail transport, intransitive, of points) To move from the normal position to the reverse position.
  13. (aviation, transitive) To engage reverse thrust on (an engine).
  14. To overthrow; to subvert.
    • c. 1699 – 1703, Alexander Pope, “The First Book of Statius His Thebais”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC:
      These can divide, and these reverse, the state.
    • a. 1729, John Rogers, Conformity to the World destructive of our Happiness:
      Custom […] reverses even the distinctions of good and evil.
  15. (computing) Short for reverse-engineer.
    • 2011, Eldad Eilam, Reversing: Secrets of Reverse Engineering:
      Reversing is also heavily used in connection with malicious software, on both ends of the fence: […]
    • 2012, Christopher C. Elisan, Malware, Rootkits & Botnets: A Beginner's Guide, page 117:
      […] but in some instances where malware is proving to be difficult, reversing is needed.
Antonyms
  • (antonym(s) of “to turn something in the opposite direction”): unreverse
  • (antonym(s) of “rail transport”): normalise / normalize (transitive and intransitive)
Derived terms
Translations

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʁə.vɛʁs/
  • Audio(file)

Verb

reverse

  1. inflection of reverser:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Anagrams

Latin

Participle

reverse

  1. vocative masculine singular of reversus

References

Middle English

Adjective

reverse

  1. reverse: turned upside down; greatly disturbed

Romanian

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [reˈverse]

Verb

reverse

  1. third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of revărsa

Spanish

Verb

reverse

  1. infinitive of rever combined with se
  2. inflection of reversar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative
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