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renverser
/ʁɑ̃.vɛʁ.se/
to knock over, to overturn, to upset
Il a renversé son verre d'eau.
He knocked over his glass of water.
general
To knock over or overturn something, causing it to fall or spill.
Le vent a renversé la chaise.
The wind knocked over the chair.
Often used for physical objects that are toppled or spilled.
general
To upset or overturn something abstract, such as a plan or system.
La décision a renversé tous nos plans.
The decision overturned all our plans.
Can be used metaphorically for abstract concepts.
general
To cause someone to fall or collapse.
Il a renversé son adversaire d'un coup de poing.
He knocked his opponent down with a punch.
Used in physical confrontations or accidents.
Collocations
renverser un verreto knock over a glassrenverser un gouvernementto overthrow a governmentrenverser la situationto reverse the situation
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
'Renverser' is often used for physical actions like knocking over objects or people, but it can also be used metaphorically for abstract concepts.
Gold Rule
Literal vs. Figurative
Be mindful of the context to distinguish between physical and metaphorical uses of 'renverser'.
Word Origin
From Old French 'renverser', from 're-' (back) + 'verser' (to pour or overturn).
Usage Notes
The verb 'renverser' is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts. It can describe physical actions or abstract overturning of plans or systems.
Word Breakdown
re-
back, again
prefix-verser
to pour or overturn
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais