re|vers´er

re|verse «rih VURS», noun, adjective, verb, -versed, -vers|ing.

–n.

1. the opposite or contrary: »

She did the reverse of what I ordered.

2. the back: »

His name is on the reverse of the medal.

3. an opposite or contrary motion or direction: »

a reverse in dancing, a locomotive moving in reverse.

4. a) the gear or gears that reverse the movement of machinery. b) the arrangement of such a gear or gears: »

Drive the automobile in reverse until you get out of the garage.

c) the position of the control that moves such a gear or gears.

5. a change to bad fortune; check or defeat: »

He used to be rich, but he met with reverses in his business. Caesar was never more calm than under a reverse (James A. Froude).

SYNONYM(S): setback, failure.

–adj.

1. turned backward; opposite or contrary in position or direction: »

Play the reverse side of that phonograph record.

2. acting in a manner opposite or contrary to that which is usual: »

reverse racism.

3. causing an opposite or backward movement: »

the reverse gear of an automobile.

4. Printing. with black and white reversed: »

reverse etching, reverse plates.

5. Military. connected with or facing towards the rear: »

a reverse battery, reverse fire.

–v.t.

1. to turn the other way; turn inside out or upside down: »

Reverse that hose; don't point it at me. Reverse your sweater or you will put it on wrong side out. If you reverse those two pieces, the puzzle will fit together.

2. to work or revolve in the opposite direction.

3. to change to the opposite; repeal: »

The court reversed its decree of imprisonment, and the man went free.

4. to use or do in a way opposite to the usual method: »

to reverse the usual order of conducting business.

–v.i.

1. to put or work an engine or mechanism in the opposite direction: »

Alternating current reverses from negative to positive about 60 times a second.

2. to turn in a direction opposite to the usual one while dancing.

╂[< Latin reversus, past participle of revertere turn around; see etym. under revert (Cf. ↑revert)]

–re|vers´er, noun.

Synonym Study transitive verb. 1 Reverse, invert mean to turn something the other way. Reverse is the more general in application, meaning to turn to the other side or in an opposite position, direction, order, or the like: »

to reverse a phonograph record, reverse one's steps.

Invert means to turn upside down: »

Invert the glasses to drain.