Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Reverse?

\Re*verse"\, a. [OE. revers, OF. revers, L. reversus, p. p. of revertere. See {Revert}.] 1. Turned backward; having a contrary or opposite direction; hence; opposite or contrary in kind; as, the reverse order or method. ``A vice reverse unto this.'' --Gower. 2. Turned upside down; greatly disturbed. [Obs.] He found the sea diverse With many a windy storm reverse. --Gower. 3. (Bot. & Zo["o]l.) Reversed; as, a reverse shell. {Reverse bearing} (Surv.), the bearing of a back station as observed from the station next in advance. {Reverse curve} (Railways), a curve like the letter S, formed of two curves bending in opposite directions. {Reverse fire} (Mil.), a fire in the rear. {Reverse operation} (Math.), 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.
\Re*verse"\, n. [Cf. F. revers. See {Reverse}, a.] 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. --Chaucer. 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}. 5. A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a backhanded stroke. [Obs.] --Shak. 6. (Surg.) A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the bandage is changed.
\Re*verse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reversed};p. pr. & vb. n. {Reversing}.] [See {Reverse}, a., and cf. {Revert}.] 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. (Law) To overthrow by a contrary decision; to make void; to under or annual for error; as, to reverse a judgment, sentence, or decree. {Reverse arms} (Mil.), a position of a soldier in which the piece passes between the right elbow and the body at an angle of 45[deg], and is held as in the illustration. {To reverse an engine} or {a machine}, to cause it to perform its revolutions or action in the opposite direction. Syn: To overturn; overset; invert; overthrow; subvert; repeal; annul; revoke; undo.
\Re*verse"\, v. i. 1. To return; to revert. [Obs.] --Spenser. 2. To become or be reversed.