—v.
1 tr. turn the other way round or up or inside out.
2 tr. change to the opposite character or effect (reversed the decision).
3 intr. & tr. travel or cause to travel backwards.
4 tr. make (an engine etc.) work in a contrary direction.
5 tr. revoke or annul (a decree, act, etc.).
6 intr. (of a dancer, esp. in a waltz) revolve in the opposite direction.
—adj.
1 placed or turned in an opposite direction or position.
2 opposite or contrary in character or order; inverted.
—n.
1 the opposite or contrary (the reverse is the case; is the reverse of the truth).
2 the contrary of the usual manner.
3 an occurrence of misfortune; a disaster, esp. a defeat in battle (suffered a reverse).
4 reverse gear or motion.
5 the reverse side of something.
6 a the side of a coin or medal etc. bearing the secondary design. b this design (cf. OBVERSE).
7 the verso of a leaf.
Phrases and idioms:
reverse arms hold a rifle with the butt upwards. reverse the charges Brit. make the recipient of a telephone call responsible for payment. reverse gear a gear used to make a vehicle etc. travel backwards. reversing light a white light at the rear of a vehicle operated when the vehicle is in reverse gear. reverse Polish notation see Polish notation. reverse strata Geol. a fault in which the overlying side of a mass of rock is displaced upward in relation to the underlying side.
Derivatives:
reversal n. reversely adv. reverser n. reversible adj. reversibility n. reversibly adv.
Etymology: ME f. OF revers (n.), reverser (v.), f. L revertere revers- (as RE-, vertere turn)
Useful english dictionary. 2012.