overturn

Formsoverturns, overturning, overturned

Pluraloverturns

1. 1
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To turn something over, capsize, or upset it so it falls onto its side or rests upside down.

   Strong winds can overturn lightweight canoes out on the lake.

   The truck overturned on the icy bend, scattering its cargo across the road.

   Similarcapsize, flip, upset, topple, tip

   Oppositeright

   Note

   The physical sense the others grow from: Middle English overturnen, simply over- plus turn, with overterven as a twin alongside it. It works with or without an object. Wind overturns a canoe, but an engine or a tram simply overturns, the intransitive use that fills accident reports. From toppling a thing, the word moved to toppling a regime and reversing a verdict.

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To reverse a previous decision, or to overrule or rescind it.

   The appeals court overturned the conviction after new evidence emerged.

   Higher judges can overturn a verdict they consider deeply flawed.

   Similarreverse, quash, overrule, rescind, annul

   Oppositeuphold, affirm, confirm

   Note

   A courtroom verb for undoing a decision already in force. A higher court overturns a conviction on appeal and strips it of legal effect, and a party may consult lawyers about overturning a settlement. Its objects are verdicts, rulings and settlements, never people. Overrule and rescind sit close by, but overturn is the word reports use when a conviction falls.

3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To overthrow or bring to ruin an established power or order.

   The revolution overturned centuries of monarchic rule.

   Conspirators plotted to overturn the republic and seize power for themselves.

   Similaroverthrow, topple, subvert

4. 4
   nouncountable

   A turning over or flipping into an upside-down position; an inversion.

   The overturn of the vessel happened in a matter of seconds.

   Geologists studied the overturn of the rock layers along the fault line.

   Similarinversion, capsizing

5. 5
   nouncountable

   The overthrow or downfall of some institution or state of affairs; ruin.

   The revolution brought about the overturn of the monarchy.

   Years of economic collapse led to the overturn of the established order.

   Similaroverthrow, downfall, fall, collapse, ruin

   Oppositerestoration

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To lessen the importance of a previous defeat by winning; to make a comeback from that loss.

   They overturned a humiliating first-round loss with a commanding win.

   A strong second half can overturn a poor start to the season.

   Similarreverse, avenge

   Note

   Sports reporting's sense, and its objects are scorelines rather than rivals. A side overturns a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, or a 6-0 hammering suffered in August. Nothing is reversed on paper, since the old result stands, but a later win robs it of weight. To use it safely, put the defeat or the deficit after the verb, not the opponent.

7. 7
   verbintransitive

   Of a lake, to undergo a limnic eruption in which dissolved gas suddenly erupts from the deep water.

   Volcanic crater lakes can overturn when enough carbon dioxide accumulates in the depths.

   Lake Nyos overturned in 1986, suffocating people for miles around.

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