in|vert

in|vert «verb. ihn VURT; adjective, noun. IHN vurt», verb, adjective, noun.

–v.t.

1. to turn upside down: »

He inverted the glass and the water ran out.

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under reverse.

2. to turn the other way; change to the opposite; reverse in position, direction, or order: »

If you invert “I can,” you have “Can I?” Figurative. Inflation in time of depression inverts all the old canons of economics.

3. Music. to change by making the lower or lowest note an octave higher or the higher or highest note an octave lower.

4. Medicine. to turn outside in or inside out.

5. Chemistry. to decompose by inversion.

6. Phonetics. to pronounce with the tip of the tongue raised and bent backward.

–adj.

Chemistry. inverted.

–n.

1. a person or thing that is inverted.

2. = homosexual. (Cf. ↑homosexual)

3. a postage stamp printed with an inverted design.

╂[< Latin invertere < in- in, on + vertere to turn]