Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense reverses, present participle reversing, past tense, past participle reversed
1. verb
When someone or something reverses a decision, policy, or trend, they change it to the opposite decision, policy, or trend.
They have made it clear they will not reverse the decision to increase prices. [VERB noun]
The rise, the first in 10 months, reversed the downward trend in the jobless rate. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: change, alter, cancel, overturn More Synonyms of reverse
2. verb
If you reverse the order of a set of things, you arrange them in the opposite order, so that the first thing comes last.
Simply reversing the order of the questions made it more logical. . [VERB noun]
The normal word order is reversed in passive sentences. [beVERB-ed]
3. verb
If you reverse the positions or functions of two things, you change them so that each thing has the position or function thatthe other one had.
He reversed the position of the two stamps. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: transpose, change, move, exchange More Synonyms of reverse
4. verb
When a car reverses or when you reverse it, the car is driven backwards.
[mainly British]
Another car reversed out of the drive. [VERB]
He reversed and drove away. [VERB]
He reversed his car straight at the policeman. [VERB noun]
regional note: in AM, usually use back up
Synonyms: go backwards, retreat, back up, turn back More Synonyms of reverse
5. uncountable noun [usu in/intoN]
If your car is inreverse, you have changed gear so that you can drive it backwards.
He lurched the car in reverse along the ruts to the access road.
6. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Reverse means opposite to what you expect or to what has just been described.
The wrong attitude will have exactly the reverse effect.
Synonyms: opposite, contrary, converse, inverse More Synonyms of reverse
7. singular noun
If you say that one thing is the reverse of another, you are emphasizing that the first thing is the complete opposite of the second thing.
There is no evidence that spectators want longer cricket matches. Quite the reverse.
I expected a dense and detailed autobiography. The reverse is true. The book is shortand spare.
Synonyms: opposite, contrary, converse, antithesis More Synonyms of reverse
8. countable noun
A reverse is a serious failure or defeat.
[formal]
It's clear that the party of the former Prime Minister has suffered a major reverse.
9. singular noun
Thereverse or thereverseside of a flat object which has two sides is the less important or the other side.
Write your address on the reverse of the cheque.
10.
See in reverse
11.
See reverse the charges
More Synonyms of reverse
reverse in British English
(rɪˈvɜːs)
verb(mainly tr)
1.
to turn or set in an opposite direction, order, or position
2.
to change into something different or contrary; alter completely
reverse one's policy
3. (also intr)
to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite direction
to reverse a car
4.
to run (machinery, etc) in the opposite direction to normal
5.
to turn inside out
6. law
to revoke or set aside (a judgment, decree, etc); annul
7. (often foll by out)
to print from plates so made that white lettering or design of (a page, text, display, etc) appears on a black or coloured background
8. reverse arms
9. reverse the charge
noun
10.
the opposite or contrary of something
11.
the back or rear side of something
12.
a change to an opposite position, state, or direction
13.
a change for the worse; setback or defeat
14.
a.
the mechanism or gears by which machinery, a vehicle, etc, can be made to reverse its direction
b.
(as modifier)
reverse gear
15.
the side of a coin bearing a secondary design
Compare obverse (sense 5)
16.
a.
printed matter in which normally black or coloured areas, esp lettering, appear white, and vice versa
b.
(as modifier)
reverse plates
17. in reverse
18. the reverse of
adjective
19.
opposite or contrary in direction, position, order, nature, etc; turned backwards
20.
back to front; inverted
21.
operating or moving in a manner contrary to that which is usual
22.
denoting or relating to a mirror image
Derived forms
reversely (reˈversely)
adverb
reverser (reˈverser)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French, from Latin reversus, from revertere to turn back
reverse in American English
(rɪˈvɜrs)
adjective
1.
a.
turned backward; opposite or contrary, as in position, direction, order, etc.
b.
with the back showing or in view
2.
reversing the usual effect so as to show white letters, etc. on a black background
3.
acting or moving in a way or direction opposite or contrary to the usual
4.
causing movement backward or in the opposite direction
reverse gear
noun
5.
the opposite or contrary of something
6.
the back or rear of something; specif., the side, as of a coin or medal, that does not have the main design
see also obverse
7.
the act or an instance of reversing; change to the opposite
8.
a change from good fortune to bad; defeat, check, or misfortune
9.
a mechanism, etc. for reversing, as a gear arrangement in a transmission that causes a machine, motor vehicle, etc. to run backward or in the opposite direction
10.
a reversing movement
11. US, American Football
a type of play in which a ball carrier running toward a sideline gives the ball to a teammate going the opposite way
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈversed or reˈversing
12.
to turn backward, in an opposite position or direction, upside down, or inside out
13.
to change to the opposite; alter completely
14.
to cause to go or move backward or in an opposite direction
15.
to exchange or transpose
16.
to transfer (the charges for a telephone call) to the party being called
17. Law
to revoke or annul (a decision, judgment, etc.)
verb intransitive
18.
to move, go, or turn backward or in the opposite direction
19.
to put a motor, engine, etc. in reverse; reverse the action of a mechanism
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈopposite
Derived forms
reversely (reˈversely)
adverb
reverser (reˈverser)
noun
Word origin
ME revers < OFr < L reversus, pp. of revertere: see revert
reverse in Automotive Engineering1
(rɪvɜrs)
noun
(Automotive engineering: Design and performance)
If your car is in reverse, you have changed gears so that you can drive it backward.
COLLOCATIONS: in ~
Tom put the car in reverse and backed out of the garage.
She put the car in reverse by mistake and damaged a car parked behind her.
The rearview monitor camera projects a video image of what is behind on an in-dashinformation screen when the car is in reverse.
reverse in Automotive Engineering2
(rɪvɜrs)
Word forms: (present) reverses, (past) reversed, (perfect) reversed, (progressive) reversing
verb (transitive) (intransitive)
(Automotive engineering: Design and performance)
When a car reverses, or when you reverse it, the car is driven backward.
She had to reverse the car out of the parking space.
He started the car, and reversed back out into the lane.
The car uses electrically operated power steering and sensors that help guide thecar when reversing into parking spaces.
Examples of 'reverse' in a sentence
reverse
Through the mirror was a looking-glass room, the reverse of normality.
Fraser, Anthea PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW (2004)
Power off, ten degrees rudder angle, reverse engines, the sea boiling under her counter, the water rising, lifting them.
Lunnon-Wood, Mike LET NOT THE DEEP (2004)
In the mirror, from where he stood, Alice's copy of the chess set showed in reverse.
Greg Bear DEAD LINES (2004)
In other languages
reverse
British English: reverse /rɪˈvɜːs/ NOUN
If your car is in reverse, you have changed gear so that you can drive it backwards.
He put the car in reverse.
American English: reverse
Arabic: تِرْسٌ عَاكِس
Brazilian Portuguese: marcha atrás
Chinese: 倒退挡
Croatian: u rikverc
Czech: zpátečka
Danish: bakgear
Dutch: in de achteruit
European Spanish: marcha atrás
Finnish: vastakohta
French: marche arrière
German: Gegenteil
Greek: όπισθεν
Italian: contrario
Japanese: 逆
Korean: 반대
Norwegian: omvending
Polish: odwrotność
European Portuguese: marcha atrás
Romanian: marșarier
Russian: передача заднего хода
Latin American Spanish: revés
Swedish: motsats
Thai: ถอยหลัง
Turkish: geri dönme
Ukrainian: задній хід
Vietnamese: chạy lùi
British English: reverse /rɪˈvɜːs/ VERB
To reverse a process, decision, or policy means to change it to its opposite.
The Government has had to reverse its policy.
American English: reverse
Arabic: يَقْلِبُ
Brazilian Portuguese: inverter
Chinese: 颠倒
Croatian: okrenuti
Czech: zvrátit rozhodnutí
Danish: ændre
Dutch: omdraaien
European Spanish: invertir alterar
Finnish: vaihtaa suuntaa
French: inverser
German: umkehren
Greek: αντιστρέφω
Italian: invertire
Japanese: 逆にする
Korean: 거꾸로 하다
Norwegian: omgjøre
Polish: odwrócić
European Portuguese: inverter
Romanian: a schimba
Russian: разворачивать
Latin American Spanish: invertir cambiar el orden o el sentido
Swedish: backa
Thai: เพิกถอน
Turkish: geri dönmek
Ukrainian: змінювати на протилежне
Vietnamese: đảo ngược
British English: reverse ADJECTIVE
Reverse means opposite to what you expect or to what has just been described.
The wrong attitude will have exactly the reverse effect.
American English: reverse
Brazilian Portuguese: inverso
Chinese: 相反的
European Spanish: contrario
French: inverse
German: umgekehrt
Italian: opposto
Japanese: 逆の
Korean: 반대의
European Portuguese: inverso
Latin American Spanish: contrario
All related terms of 'reverse'
in reverse
If something happens in reverse or goes into reverse , things happen in the opposite way to what usually happens or to what has been happening .
reverse bid
a bid of a higher-ranking suit at the two level or higher by a player whose previous bid was of a lower-ranking suit
reverse out
a font or type that is defined by its background or border , allowing the underlying colour of the paper or the background colour to show the shape of the characters
reverse arms
to turn one's arms upside down, esp as a token of mourning
reverse gear
The reverse gear of a vehicle is the gear which you use in order to make the vehicle go backwards .
reverse swing
a type of swing in which a ball that has been scuffed on one side will move in the opposite direction to that of a new ball
reverse turn
a manoeuvre which makes a vehicle move backwards and to the left or right
reverse video
Reverse video is the process of reversing the colours of normal characters and background on a computer screen , in order to highlight the display.
reverse-charge
(of a telephone call) made at the recipient's expense
reverse English
a spinning motion imparted to a cue ball in such a manner as to prevent it from moving in a certain direction
reverse osmosis
a technique for purifying water, in which pressure is applied to force liquid through a semipermeable membrane in the opposite direction to that in normal osmosis
reverse racism
a perceived discrimination against a dominant group or political majority
reverse transom
a surface forming the stern of a vessel, canted forwards at the upper side
reverse Apartheid
a perceived bias against White people following the end of Apartheid
reverse commuter
a commuter who lives in a city and commutes to a job in the suburbs
reverse dictionary
an alphabetical list of words spelled in reversed order, of use esp. to linguists and cryptographers
reverse mortgage
a loan typically given to an older person who owns a house, usually disbursed in monthly installments, and charged against the homeowner's equity
reverse psychology
a method of getting another person to do what one wants by pretending not to want it or to want something else or something more
reverse takeover
the purchase of a larger company by a smaller company, esp of a public company by a private company
the reverse of
emphatically not; not at all
reverse a charge
If you reverse a charge on a credit card , you put the amount you have charged back into the credit card account .
reverse discrimination
Reverse discrimination is the same as → positive discrimination .
reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is a process in which a product or system is analysed in order to see how it works, so that a similar version of the product or system can be produced more cheaply.
reverse the charge
to make a telephone call at the recipient's expense
reverse transcriptase
an enzyme present in retroviruses that copies RNA into DNA , thus reversing the usual flow of genetic information in which DNA is copied into RNA
reverse charge call
A reverse charge call is a phone call which is paid for by the person who receives the call, rather than the person who makes the call.
reverse the charges
If you reverse the charges when you make a phone call , the person who you are phoning pays the cost of the call and not you.
back mutation
the reversion of a mutant to the original phenotype