reverse

Sayri-VURS/ɹɪˈvɝs/UK/ɹɪˈvɜːs/

Noun pluralreverses (some meanings)

31 meanings of reverse

1
adjective
Facing or moving the opposite way to what is normal or expected.
Like reading a book from the last page to the first.
They drove in the reverse direction to avoid the traffic.
The names were sorted in reverse order, from Z to A.
Similaropposite, backward, inverse, contrary
Oppositeforward
Note
2
verbtransitive
To turn something around so it faces or runs the other way.
Like flipping a row of dominoes so the last one becomes the first.
You can reverse the order of the names on the list.
He reversed the steps to undo the dance routine.
Similarinvert, flip
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3
noununcountable
The gear setting that makes a car move backward.
Like the setting on a toy car that makes it roll backward instead of forward.
He put the car into reverse to back out of the driveway.
Finding reverse on this old truck takes some practice.
Note
4
verbtransitive or intransitive
To make a machine or vehicle move in the opposite direction to normal.
Like backing up when you walk into a dead end.
He reversed slowly out of the narrow garage.
You should reverse carefully when the road is icy.
Similarback
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5
verbtransitive
To change something completely into its opposite.
Like turning a 'yes' into a 'no'.
The treatment reversed the patient's decline within weeks.
Good news can reverse a falling market overnight.
Similarundo, overturn
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6
noun
The complete opposite of something.
Like hot being the opposite of cold.
What he said was the reverse of the truth.
Her calm reply was the reverse of what they expected.
Similaropposite, contrary, converse, inverse, antithesis
Note
7
verbtransitive
To cancel a law, or to change a decision into its opposite.
Like a referee changing a call after watching the replay.
The higher court reversed the earlier ruling.
Lawmakers voted to reverse the controversial ban.
Similaroverturn, overrule, revoke, repeal, annul
Oppositeuphold, affirm
Note
8
adjective
Describing engine or vehicle movement that goes backward instead of forward.
Like pedaling a bike backward instead of forward.
The boat made a slow reverse turn away from the dock.
He engaged the reverse thrust to slow the plane.
Similarbackward
Oppositeforward
9
noun
The back side of something, the part facing away from you.
Like the back of your hand compared with the palm.
Write your name on the reverse of the page.
The reverse of the card had a hidden message.
Similarback, verso
Oppositefront
10
nouncountable
The 'tails' side of a coin, opposite the side with the main face.
Like the 'tails' side you get when you flip a coin.
The reverse of the coin shows an eagle.
She admired the design on the reverse of the medal.
Similarback
Oppositeobverse
Note

11
verbtransitive
To turn something inside out, or to flip it upside down.
Like turning a sock inside out.
She reversed the sweater to hide the stain.
You can reverse the cushion to show the clean side.
Similarinvert, flip, turn
12
verbtransitive
To swap the positions of two things.
Like swapping the seats of two people sitting side by side.
The printer accidentally reversed the last two digits.
Please reverse the order of these two paragraphs.
Similarswap, switch, transpose, exchange, interchange
13
nouncountable
The act of going backward.
Like walking back the way you came.
The car's sudden reverse threw the passengers forward.
With one quick reverse, the procession turned back toward the gate.
Similarreversal, turnaround
Note
14
nouncountable
A piece of bad luck, or a setback.
Like taking two steps back after one step forward.
The team suffered a serious reverse in the final round.
After several reverses, the business finally recovered.
Similarsetback, misfortune, reversal, defeat, blow
Note
15
verbtransitive
To bring down or destroy something, such as a government or a plan.
Like knocking down a tower that someone built up over many years.
The uprising tried to reverse the king's rule.
They worked for years to reverse the unjust system.
Similaroverthrow, undermine, subvert, overturn
Oppositeuphold
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16
verbabbreviationellipsis
Short form of reverse-engineer. It means to take something apart to learn how it works.
The team managed to reverse the competitor's chip design.
Hackers often reverse proprietary software to find weaknesses.
Note
17
verbtransitive
To make a chemical reaction go backward, so the products turn back into the starting materials.
Like rewinding a video so everything happens backward.
You can reverse the reaction by cooling the mixture.
Adding more product will reverse the process in the flask.
Note
18
nouncountable
A graph that is just like another but with every arrow flipped to point the opposite way.
Like a road map where every one-way street now runs the other way.
The reverse of this network sends every connection backward.
We drew the reverse to see where the arrows would lead.
Similartranspose
Note
19
nouncountable
In fencing, a hit made by turning the hand backward, a kind of backhanded strike.
Like swinging your hand back to swat something behind you.
She scored a point with a quick reverse to his shoulder.
His reverse caught the other fencer off guard.
Note
20
nouncountable
In bandaging, a turn or fold that changes the direction the bandage is going.
Like folding a long strip of paper back so it changes direction.
The nurse made a neat reverse to keep the bandage flat.
Add a reverse where the arm starts to narrow.
Note
21
verbtransitive
To turn on the backward thrust of an aircraft engine to help slow it down.
Like pushing back on the pedals to slow a bike down.
The pilot reversed the engines as soon as the wheels touched down.
You must reverse the engines quickly on a short runway.
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22
adjective
Of railway points, set to the less-used track instead of the normal one.
Like a light switch flipped to the setting you rarely use.
When the points are reverse, the train takes the side track.
The signaler checked that the switch was reverse before sending the train through.
Oppositenormal
Note
23
verbtransitive
To set a railway switch to the less-used track position.
Like flipping a switch to send a toy train down the other track.
The signaler reversed the points to send the train onto the side track.
You must reverse the points before the train arrives.
Note
24
verbintransitive
Of railway points, to move from the normal setting to the less-used one.
Like a door that swings to the other side when you press a button.
The points reverse whenever the branch route is selected.
When the lever is pulled, the points reverse with a loud clunk.
25
adjective
In plants, turned the opposite way from normal, or flipped around.
Like a picture turned the wrong way up.
The flower had a reverse pattern, with its colors flipped.
Some petals grow in a reverse arrangement.
Similarinverted
Note
26
adjective
In genetics, describing a process that builds DNA from an RNA pattern.
Like translating a copy back into the original language.
The lab used a reverse process to copy RNA into DNA.
A reverse method lets scientists turn RNA back into DNA.
Note
27
adverbarchaic
In a backward direction, or upside down.
Like reading words in a mirror, where everything faces the wrong way.
The banner hung reverse, its emblem turned upside down.
The man was killed to feed his image fat / Within this pictured world that ran reverse, / Where miracles alone were ever plain.
1963, Donal Serrell Thomas, Points of ContactHere, reverse means backward, running in the opposite direction.
Note
28
verbobsoleteintransitive
To come back or return to a place.
Bene they all dead, and laide in dolefull herse? / Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reuerse?
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, reverse means come back or return to life.
Note
29
verbobsoletetransitive
To make someone or something go away or depart.
And that old dame said many an idle verse, / Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, reverse means turn away or drive out of her heart.
Note
30
adjective
Turned upside down, or greatly disturbed.
31
verbobsolete
To make someone or something come back.
And to his fresh remembrance did reverse / The ugly view of his deformd crimes.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 6, 8–10, 13–14, 18–20, 22, 25–27

From Latin reversus, meaning 'turned back', made from re- plus versō.

Meanings 2, 4–5, 7, 11–12, 15–17, 21, 23–24, 28–29

From Latin reversō, made from re- plus versō, meaning to turn back.