- reverse
- [[t]rɪvɜ͟ː(r)s[/t]]
♦♦♦reverses, reversing, reversed1) VERB When someone or something reverses a decision, policy, or trend, they change it to the opposite decision, policy, or trend.
[V n] They have made it clear they will not reverse the decision to increase prices...
[V n] The rise, the first in 10 months, reversed the downward trend in Belgium's jobless rate.
2) VERB If you reverse the order of a set of things, you arrange them in the opposite order, so that the first thing comes last.[V n] In the squares place a penny, nickel, dime and quarter in that order. The object is to reverse the order of these coins...
[V n] Because the normal word order is reversed in passive sentences, they are sometimes hard to follow.
3) VERB If you reverse the positions or functions of two things, you change them so that each thing has the position or function that the other one had.[V n] He reversed the position of the two stamps.
4) V-ERG When a car reverses or when you reverse it, the car is driven backwards. [mainly BRIT]Another car reversed out of the drive...
He reversed and drove away...
(in AM, usually use back up)[V n] He reversed his car straight at the umpire.
5) N-UNCOUNT: usu in/into N If your car is in reverse, you have changed gear so that you can drive it backwards.He lurched the car in reverse along the ruts to the access road.
6) ADJ: usu ADJ n Reverse means opposite to what you expect or to what has just been described.The wrong attitude will have exactly the reverse effect.
Syn:7) N-SING: the N If you say that one thing is the reverse of another, you are emphasizing that the first thing is the complete opposite of the second thing.There is absolutely no evidence at all that spectators want longer cricket matches. Quite the reverse...
This would lead one to expect a fat, dense and detailed autobiography. The reverse is true. The book is short and spare.
8) N-COUNT A reverse is a serious failure or defeat. [FORMAL]It's clear that the party of the former Prime Minister has suffered a major reverse.
Syn:reversal, setback9) N-SING: the N The reverse or the reverse side of a flat object which has two sides is the less important or the other side.Cheques should be made payable to Country Living and your address written on the reverse.
Syn:Ant:10) PHRASE: v PHR If something happens in reverse or goes into reverse, things happen in the opposite way to what usually happens or to what has been happening.Amis tells the story in reverse, from the moment the man dies...
The downward trend went into reverse and the scores started to creep up again.
11) PHRASE: V inflects If you reverse the charges when you make a telephone call, the person who you are phoning pays the cost of the call and not you. [BRIT](in AM, use call collect)
English dictionary. 2008.
