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   reverse

   /rɪˈvəːs/

   verb

   • 1. move backwards: "the lorry reversed into the back of a bus" Similar backgo back/backwardsdrive back/backwardsmove back/backwardssend back/backwardsback-pedalOpposite go forwards
   • ▪ cause (a vehicle) to move backwards: "she reversed the car into a side turn"
   • ▪ (of an engine) work in a contrary direction: "the ship's engines reversed and cut out altogether"
   • 2. make (something) the opposite of what it was: "the damage done to the ozone layer may be reversed" Similar alterchangecountermandundoset asideupsetoverturnoverthrowrule againstdisallowoverrideoverrulevetorepudiaterevokerepealcancelrescindannulnullifydeclare null and voidvoidinvalidatenegateabrogatequashwithdrawtake backrecantretractback-pedal onbacktrack onrow backdo a U-turn oneat one's wordsdo an about-turn onvacatearchaic:recallOpposite upholdstick to
   • ▪ exchange (the position or function) of two people or things: "the experimenter and the subject reversed roles and the experiment was repeated" Similar swapswap roundchangechange roundexchangeinterchangeswitchswitch roundtradetransposeinvertturn aboutturn aroundOpposite keep to
   • ▪ revoke or annul (a judgement, sentence, or decree made by a lower court or authority): "the court reversed his conviction"
   • 3. turn (something) the other way round or up or inside out: "after completing a row of leaves or flowers I have reversed the pattern" Similar turn upside downturn overupendupturnput bottom upflip overturn topsy-turvyinvertcapsizearchaic:oversetturn inside outtechnical:evertintrovertevaginateinvaginate
   • 4. make (type or a design) appear as white in a block of solid colour or a half-tone: "their press ads had a headline reversed out of the illustration"

   adjective

   • 1. going in or turned towards the direction opposite to that previously stated: "the trend appears to be going in the reverse direction" Similar oppositecontraryconversecounterinverseobverseopposingcontrastingantitheticalOpposite same
   • ▪ operating, behaving, or ordered in a way contrary or opposite to that which is usual or expected: "indiscriminate bombing had a reverse effect on popular morale" Similar backwardbackwardsreversedinvertedtransposedfrom bottom to topOpposite forwards
   • ▪ (of a voltage applied to a semiconductor junction) in the direction which does not allow significant current to flow.
   • ▪ denoting a fault in which a relative downward movement occurred in the strata on the underside of the fault plane.

   noun

   • 1. a complete change of direction or action: "the gall actuates a reverse of photosynthesis"
   • ▪ reverse gear on a motor vehicle; the position of a gear lever or selector corresponding to this: "a knob to lock the box in four-wheel drive for reverse"
   • ▪ a play in which a player reverses the direction of attack by passing the ball to a teammate moving in the opposite direction: "his touchdown came after he had scampered 58 yards on a reverse with McMahon"
   • 2. the opposite to that previously stated: "he didn't feel homesick—quite the reverse" Similar oppositecontraryconverseinverseobverseantithesisopposite/other extreme
   • 3. an adverse change of fortune; a setback or defeat: "United suffered their heaviest reverse of the season" Similar setbackreversalupsetchecknon-successfailuremisfortunemishapmisadventureaccidentdisastertragedycatastropheblowdisappointmentadversityhardshipafflictionvicissitudedefeatroutill luckbad luckdistresstribulationwoehard timesOpposite success
   • 4. the opposite side or face to the observer: "the address is given on the reverse of this leaflet" Similar other sidereverse sidebackrearundersidewrong sideflip sideB-sideversoOpposite frontrecto
   • ▪ a left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document.
   • ▪ the side of a coin or medal bearing the value or secondary design.
   • ▪ the design or inscription on the reverse of a coin or medal.

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French revers, reverse (nouns), reverser (verb), from Latin reversus ‘turned back’, past participle of revertere, from re- ‘back’ + vertere ‘to turn’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. reversely adverb
   • 2. reverser noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • V

     4

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • S

     1

   • E

     1

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