reverse

Meaning

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite direction.
2. (not-comparable) Pertaining to engines, vehicle movement etc. moving in a direction opposite to the usual direction.
3. (not-comparable) To be in the non-default position; to be set for the lesser-used route.
4. (not-comparable) Turned upside down; greatly disturbed.
5. (not-comparable) Reversed.
6. (not-comparable) In which cDNA synthetization is obtained from an RNA template.

Adv

In a reverse way or direction; in reverse; upside-down.

Noun

1. The opposite of something.
2. The act of going backwards; a reversal.
3. A piece of misfortune; a setback.
4. The tails side of a coin, or the side of a medal or badge that is opposite the obverse.
5. The side of something facing away from a viewer, or from what is considered the front; the other side.
6. The gear setting of an automobile that makes it travel backwards. (Denoted with symbol R on a shifter's labeling.)
7. A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a backhanded stroke.
8. A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the bandage is changed.
9. Synonym of transpose.

Verb

1. (transitive) To turn something around so that it faces the opposite direction or runs in the opposite sequence.
2. (transitive) To turn something inside out or upside down.
3. (transitive) To transpose the positions of two things.
4. (transitive) To change totally; to alter to the opposite.
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To return, come back.
6. (obsolete, transitive) To turn away; to cause to depart.
7. (obsolete, transitive) To cause to return; to recall.
8. To revoke a law, or to change a decision into its opposite.
9. (ergative) To cause a mechanism to operate or move in the opposite direction to normal; to drive a vehicle in the direction the driver has the back.
10. To change the direction of a reaction such that the products become the reactants and vice-versa.
11. (transitive) To place (a set of points) in the reverse position.
12. (intransitive) To move from the normal position to the reverse position.
13. (transitive) To engage reverse thrust on (an engine).
14. To overthrow; to subvert.
15. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of reverse-engineer.

Synonyms

opposite

back

🔙

contrary

inverse

invert

overturn

rescind

annul

retreat

inversion

reversal

revoke

turn over

converse

turn inside out

overthrow

misfortune

upset

turn around

setback

go backwards

other side

repeal

rear

turn round

turn back

cancel

countermand

turn upside down

reverse gear

adversity

quash

change

turn

overrule

return

rearward

backwards

backward

back up

move backwards

rear side

undo

abrogate

vacate

transpose

reversed

reversion

turnaround

behind

Translations

retourner

revers

inverse

revés

🔙

Kehrseite

contraire

renverser

invertir

Rückseite

🔙

inverter

inverso

rovescio

envers

opposé

rovesciare

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹɪˈvɜːs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: revers

Inherited from Middle English: reversen

In summary

From Middle English revers, from Anglo-Norman revers, Middle French revers, and their source, Latin reversus, perfect passive participle of reversō, from re- + versō. Doublet of revers.