Definition of reverse

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< reversal

reverse discrimination >

re·verse    (r-vûrs) KEY 

ADJECTIVE:

1. 1. Turned backward in position, direction, or order.
   2. Having the back showing or in view of the observer.
2. Moving, acting, or organized in a manner contrary to the usual.
3. Causing backward movement: a reverse gear.
4. Printing Printed in such a way that the normally colored part appears white against a colored or black background.

NOUN:

1. The opposite or contrary: All along we thought Sue was older than Bill, but just the reverse was true.
2. 1. The back or rear part.
   2. The side of a coin or medal that does not carry the principal design; the verso.
3. A change to an opposite position, condition, or direction.
4. A change in fortune from better to worse; a setback: suffered financial reverses.
5. 1. A mechanism, such as a gear in a motor vehicle, that is used to reverse movement.
   2. The position or operating condition of such a mechanism.
   3. Movement in an opposite direction.
6. Football An offensive play in which a back running in one direction executes a handoff to a back running in the opposite direction.

VERB:
re·versed, re·vers·ing, re·vers·es
VERB:
tr.

1. To turn around to the opposite direction.
2. To turn inside out or upside down.
3. To exchange the positions of; transpose.
4. Law To revoke or annul (a decision or decree, for example).
5. 1. To cause to adopt a contrary viewpoint.
   2. To change to the opposite: reversed their planned course of action.
6. To cause (an engine or a mechanism) to function in reverse.

VERB:
intr.

1. To turn or move in the opposite direction.
2. To reverse the action of an engine.

IDIOM:
reverse (one's) field

To turn and proceed in the opposite direction.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English revers, from Old French, from Latin reversus, past participle of revertere, to turn back ; see revert

OTHER FORMS:
re·versely(Adverb), re·verser(Noun)

SYNONYMS:
reverse, invert, transpose

These verbs mean to change to the opposite position, direction, or course. Reverse implies a complete turning about to a contrary position: reversed the placement of the sofa and chairs. To invert is basically to turn something upside down or inside out, but the term may imply placing something in a reverse order: inverted the glass; invert subject and verb to form an interrogative. Transpose applies to altering position in a sequence by reversing or changing the order: often misspells receive by transposing the e and the i.