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reverse
/ˈrɛvɜːrs/
to turn in the opposite direction
She reversed the car out of the driveway.
She turned the car in the opposite direction to leave the driveway.
general
to turn or move in the opposite direction
The driver reversed the vehicle to park it.
The driver turned the vehicle backward to park it.
Commonly used for vehicles or processes that need to be undone.
general
to change to an opposite state or condition
The decision was reversed by the court.
The court changed the decision to its opposite.
Often used in legal or formal contexts.
general
the opposite of something
The reverse side of the coin was blank.
The opposite side of the coin was blank.
Used to describe the opposite side or aspect of something.
Collocations
reverse directionthe opposite directionreverse orderthe opposite sequencereverse engineeringanalyzing a product to understand its design
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
'Reverse' is often used with vehicles, decisions, and processes that need to be undone.
Gold Rule
Verb vs. Noun
As a verb, 'reverse' means to turn or change to the opposite. As a noun, it refers to the opposite side or condition.
Word Origin
From Old French 'reverser', from Latin 're-' (back) + 'versus' (turned).
Usage Notes
The verb 'reverse' can be both transitive and intransitive. As a noun, it refers to the opposite side or condition.
Word Breakdown
re-
back
prefix-verse
turn
rootEnglish Dictionary