reverse

reverse

I

re‧verse¹ W3 AC /rɪˈvɜːs $ -ɜːrs/ verb1.  OPPOSITE  [transitive] to change something, such as a decision, judgment, or process so that it is the opposite of what it was before
    reverse a decision/verdict/policy etc
    The decision was reversed on appeal.
    reverse a trend/process/decline etc
    More changes are required to reverse the trend towards centralised power.
2.  CAR  [intransitive and transitive] especially British English if a vehicle or its driver reverses, they go backwards
   SYN  back up American English
    reverse out of/into etc
    Bob reversed into a parking space.
    reverse something into/out of something
    I reversed the car into a side road.
3.  CHANGE POSITION/PURPOSE  [transitive] to change around the usual order of the parts of something, or the usual things two people do
   SYN  swap
    reverse roles/positions
    Our roles as child and guardian had now been reversed.
4.  TURN SOMETHING OVER  [transitive] to turn something over or around, in order to show the back of it:
    Reverse the paper in the printer.
5. reverse yourself American English to change your opinion or position in an argument:
    Suddenly, he reversed himself completely.
6. reverse the charges British English to make a telephone call which is paid for by the person you are telephoning
   SYN  call collect American English
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ nouns
   ▪ reverse a decision/ruling The Supreme Court reversed the decision.
   ▪ reverse your position (=change your opinion or attitude) He spoke in favor of the bill, reversing his previous position.
   ▪ reverse a policy She is pressing the government to reverse its policy.
   ▪ reverse a trend Immigration has increased sharply and reversing this trend will be extremely difficult.
   ▪ reverse a decline His policies had reversed the decline in the economy.
   ▪ reverse a process We cannot reverse the ageing process.
   ▪ reverse the effects of something Hair conditioner can’t reverse the damaging effects of colouring and perming.

II

reverse² AC noun1.  OPPOSITE the reverse the exact opposite of what has just been mentioned
    quite/just/precisely/exactly the reverse
    I didn’t mean to insult her – quite the reverse (=in fact, I meant to praise her).
    I owe you nothing. If anything, the reverse is true (=you owe me).
2. in reverse in the opposite way to normal or to the previous situation ⇨ vice versa:
    US video recorders cannot play European tapes, and the same applies in reverse.
3. go into reverse/put something into reverse to start to happen or to make something happen in the opposite way:
    The incident threatened to put the peace process into reverse.
4.  CAR  [uncountable] the position of the gears in a vehicle that makes it go backwards
    into/in reverse
    Put the car into reverse.
5.  DEFEAT  [countable] formal a defeat or a problem that delays your plans
   SYN  setback:
    Losing the Senate vote was a serious reverse for the President.
6.  OTHER SIDE  [singular] the less important side or the back of an object that has two sides
    on the reverse
    The British ten-pence coin has a lion on the reverse.

III

reverse³ AC adjective [only before noun]1. reverse order/situation/process etc the opposite order etc to what is usual or to what has just been stated:
    The results were read out in reverse order (=with the worst first and the best last).
2. the reverse side the back of something