Main Entry:

²reverse

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

re·versed; re·vers·ing

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1 a: to turn completely about in position or direction b: to turn upside down : invert c: to cause to take an opposite point of view <reversed herself on the issue>2: negate, undo : as a: to overthrow, set aside, or make void (a legal decision) by a contrary decision b: to change to the contrary <reverse a policy> c: to undo or negate the effect of (as a condition or surgical operation) <had his vasectomy reversed>3: to cause to go in the opposite direction ; especially : to cause (as an engine) to perform its action in the opposite directionintransitive verb1: to turn or move in the opposite direction <the count's waltzing…consisted…of reversing at top speed — Agatha Christie>2: to put a mechanism (as an engine) in reverse

— re·vers·er noun

— reverse field or reverse one's field

: to make a sudden reversal in direction or opinion

synonyms reverse, transpose, invert mean to change to the opposite position. reverse is the most general term and may imply change in order, side, direction, meaning <reversed his position on the trade agreement>. transpose implies a change in order or relative position of units often through exchange of position <transposed the letters to form an anagram>. invert applies chiefly to turning upside down or inside out <a stamp with an inverted picture of an airplane>.