Definition of reverse - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
movementintr. move backwards or in the opposite directionintr.
- The train reversed into the station.
2.
actiontr. transpose the positions of two thingstr.
- They reversed the roles in the play.
3.
clothingtr. turn something inside out or upside downtr.
- She reversed the shirt to show the label.
4.
legaltr. revoke a law or change a decisiontr.
- The government reversed the controversial law.
5.
mechanicsintr. TECH. apply engine thrust backward to slow a moving aircraftintr. TECH.
- The pilot reversed the engines after landing.
6.
chemistrytr. TECH. change a chemical reaction directiontr. TECH.
- The reaction was reversed under certain conditions.
Noun
1.
automobilethe gear setting for backward travel
- Put the car in reverse to park.
2.
contrastthe opposite of something
- His actions were the reverse of helpful.
3.
luckpiece of misfortune or setback
- The team suffered a reverse in the finals.
4.
movementthe act of going backwards
- The car was stuck in reverse.
5.
directionchange to an opposite position
- The policy faced a reverse after protests.
6.
moneythe tails side of a coin
- The reverse shows an eagle.
Adjective
1.
unexpectedopposite to what you expect or described
- The results were the reverse outcome.
2.
invertedback to front or inverted
- He wore his shirt in reverse.
3.
directiondirected or moving toward the rear
- The vehicle was in reverse gear.
Images of reverse
the gear setting for backward travel
Expressions with reverse
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
move backward out of a space
She had to reverse out of the parking spot.
change a situation from bad to good
The team managed to reverse their fortunes with a new coach.
ability to make good things turn bad or worthless
He has a reverse Midas touch with every project.
experience a setback or failure unexpectedly
The team suffered a reverse in the final match.
moving backward or in the opposite direction
The car moved in reverse to park.
start moving backward by using the reverse gear
The car will go into reverse if you shift the gear.
moving backward using the reverse setting
He drove in reverse gear down the narrow street.
arranged in the opposite sequence from the usual one
The list is in reverse order.
gear in a vehicle for moving backwards
He shifted into reverse gear to back out of the driveway..
look at the back of something for more information
See reverse side for more details.
to switch positions or functions with someone
In the play, the actors had to reverse roles for the final scene.
the back side of something
The reverse of the coin shows an eagle.
in a completely opposite way
He thought it was easy, quite the reverse.
change direction and go the opposite way
The ship had to reverse course due to the storm.
the opposite situation or fact is correct
He thought it was easy, but the reverse is true.
commute opposite to usual traffic
His reverse commute means he avoids the morning rush hour.
process of bringing something back to its origin
Reverse import of technology can boost local innovation.
discrimination against a dominant or majority racial group
He argued that reverse racism was evident in the company's hiring policies..
sexism against the dominant gender, often men
Some argue that reverse sexism occurs in certain hiring practices.
make the receiver pay for a call or service
She decided to reverse charge the call to her parents.
discrimination against a majority group to help minorities
The policy was criticized as reverse discrimination.
designed to stop moving backward or in reverse
This fishing reel has an anti-reverse system.
situation with two changes in direction
The company's double reverse surprised the market.
paid by the person receiving the call
She made a reverse-charge call to her mom.
Origin of reverse
Latin, reversus (turned back)
Terms with reverse included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
motion
move in the reverse direction
transportation
reverse a vehicle from a confined space
games
reverse side of a coin used in tossing
movement
reverse direction and retrace one's steps
movement
towards the rear or in reverse direction
sequence
in reverse order
books publishing
outer covering on the reverse side of a book or publication
gym move
movement in reverse direction by rolling
movement
reverse the position or direction
results
outcome that is reverse of what was expected
order
in reverse order or position
reversal
reverse the effects of an action
mathematics
say or think numbers in reverse order from a starting number
media program
show ranking items in reverse order
legal challenge
apply to a higher court to reverse a decision
currency
the reverse side of a coin
driving
reverse a vehicle into a space
transportation
reverse a vehicle to be in contact with something
movement
move or drop in reverse direction
reverse
turned from the outer side to the inner
physical movement
move one step in reverse direction
contradictory situation
the situation is the reverse of what was stated
figurative
reverse the flow of time
reverse course
change direction or course
Examples of reverse in a sentence
He reversed the direction of the conveyor belt. He reversed the order of the paragraphs. The mechanic reversed the positions of the tires. Reverse the jacket before washing it. He reversed the costume to hide its bright lining. The court reversed its previous ruling.
The decision was reversed after new evidence emerged. The driver reversed the car into the parking spot. He reversed the boat to avoid hitting the dock. Scientists attempted to reverse the process with a catalyst. Efforts to reverse the chemical pathway were successful. He accidentally shifted into reverse on the highway. The truck rolled back in reverse down the hill. The reverse of his statement was true. Her behavior was the reverse of polite. The delay was a minor reverse for the project. After this reverse, the company revised its plans. He shifted the gear into reverse to back out. The sudden reverse of the train startled the passengers. The company experienced a reverse in its fortunes. A sudden reverse in policy surprised everyone. The mint changed the reverse of the new coin. Her collection includes coins with a ship on the reverse. Her reverse logic confused everyone. The reverse pattern was unexpected. The reverse side of the coin showed a different image. She drove the car in reverse down the street. She checked the reverse lights before backing up. The reverse direction of the train caught everyone by surprise.
View all translations of reverse
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:reculer, marche arrière, ...
- German:umkehren, Rückwärtsgang, ...
- Italian:invertire, retromarcia, ...
- Spanish:retroceder, reversa, ...
- Portuguese:recuar, marcha-atrás, ...
- Chinese:倒退, 倒档, ...
- Japanese:バックする, バックギア, ...
- Arabic:تَرَاجَعَ, تَرْس الرُجوع, ...
- Hebrew:לִנְסוֹעַ לְאָחוֹר, הִילּוּךְ אָחוֹרִי, ...
- Russian:двигаться задним ходом, задний ход, ...
- Ukrainian:здавати назад, реверс, ...
- Hindi:पीछे जाना, रिवर्स गियर, ...
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