Reverse — Defs

01 a. Turned backward; having a contrary or opposite direction; hence; opposite or contrary in kind; as, the reverse order or method.

1.
Turned backward; having a contrary or opposite direction; hence; opposite or contrary in kind; as, the reverse order or method.
2.
Turned upside down; greatly disturbed.[Obs.]
“He found the sea diverse With many a windy storm reverse.” — Gower.
3.
Reversed; as, a reverse shell.(Bot. & Zool.)

Phrases & compounds

Reverse bearing — the bearing of a back station as observed from the station next in advance.

Reverse curve — a curve like the letter S, formed of two curves bending in opposite directions.

Reverse fire — a fire in the rear.

Reverse operation — an operation the steps of which are taken in a contrary order to that in which the same or similar steps are taken in another operation considered as direct; an operation in which that is sought which in another operation is given, and that given which in the other is sought; as, finding the length of a pendulum from its time of vibration is the reverse operation to finding the time of vibration from the length.

02 n. That which appears or is presented when anything, as a lance, a line, a course of conduct, etc., is reverted or turned contrary to its natu…

1.
That which appears or is presented when anything, as a lance, a line, a course of conduct, etc., is reverted or turned contrary to its natural direction.
“He did so with the reverse of the lance.” — Sir W. Scott.
2.
That which is directly opposite or contrary to something else; a contrary; an opposite.
“And then mistook reverse of wrong for right.” — Pope.

“To make everything the reverse of what they have seen, is quite as easy as to destroy.” — Burke.
3.
The act of reversing; complete change; reversal; hence, total change in circumstances or character; especially, a change from better to worse; misfortune; a check or defeat; as, the enemy met with a reverse.
“The strange reverse of fate you see; I pitied you, now you may pity me.” — Dryden.

“By a reverse of fortune, Stephen becomes rich.” — Lamb.
4.
The back side; as, the reverse of a drum or trench; the reverse of a medal or coin, that is, the side opposite to the obverse. See Obverse. See: Obverse
5.
A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a backhanded stroke.[Obs.]
6.
A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the bandage is changed.(Surg.)

03 v. t. To turn back; to cause to face in a contrary direction; to cause to depart.

imp. & p. p. Reversed; p. pr. & vb. n. Reversing

1.
To turn back; to cause to face in a contrary direction; to cause to depart.
“And that old dame said many an idle verse, Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse.” — Spenser.
2.
To cause to return; to recall.[Obs.]
“And to his fresh remembrance did reverse The ugly view of his deformed crimes.” — Spenser.
3.
To change totally; to alter to the opposite.
“Reverse the doom of death.” — Shak.

“She reversed the conduct of the celebrated vicar of Bray.” — Sir W. Scott.
4.
To turn upside down; to invert.
“A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill.” — Sir W. Temple.
5.
Hence, to overthrow; to subvert.
“These can divide, and these reverse, the state.” — Pope.

“Custom . . . reverses even the distinctions of good and evil.” — Rogers.
6.
To overthrow by a contrary decision; to make void; to under or annual for error; as, to reverse a judgment, sentence, or decree.(Law)

Phrases & compounds

Reverse arms — a position of a soldier in which the piece passes between the right elbow and the body at an angle of 45°, and is held as in the illustration.

To reverse an engine — to cause it to perform its revolutions or action in the opposite direction.

Syn. To overturn; overset; invert; overthrow; subvert; repeal; annul; revoke; undo.

04 v. i. To return; to revert.

1.
To return; to revert.[Obs.]
2.
To become or be reversed.