In*ver"sion (?), n. [L.
inversio: cf. F. inversion. See Invert.]
1. The act of inverting, or turning over or
backward, or the state of being inverted.
2. A change by inverted order; a reversed
position or arrangement of things; transposition.
It is just the inversion of an act of
Parliament; your lordship first signed it, and then it was passed
among the Lords and Commons.
Dryden.
3. (Mil.) A movement in tactics by
which the order of companies in line is inverted, the right being on
the left, the left on the right, and so on.
4. (Math.) A change in the order of
the terms of a proportion, so that the second takes the place of the
first, and the fourth of the third.
5. (Geom.) A peculiar method of
transformation, in which a figure is replaced by its inverse figure.
Propositions that are true for the original figure thus furnish new
propositions that are true in the inverse figure. See Inverse
figures, under Inverse.
6. (Gram.) A change of the usual order
of words or phrases; as, "of all vices, impurity is one of the most
detestable," instead of, "impurity is one of the most detestable of
all vices."
7. (Rhet.) A method of reasoning in
which the orator shows that arguments advanced by his adversary in
opposition to him are really favorable to his cause.
8. (Mus.) (a) Said of
intervals, when the lower tone is placed an octave higher, so
that fifths become fourths, thirds sixths, etc.
(b) Said of a chord, when one of its
notes, other than its root, is made the bass.
(c) Said of a subject, or phrase, when
the intervals of which it consists are repeated in the contrary
direction, rising instead of falling, or vice versa.
(d) Said of double counterpoint, when an
upper and a lower part change places.
9. (Geol.) The folding back of strata
upon themselves, as by upheaval, in such a manner that the order of
succession appears to be reversed.
10. (Chem.) The act or process by
which cane sugar (sucrose), under the action of heat and acids
or ferments (as diastase), is broken or split up into grape
sugar (dextrose), and fruit sugar (levulose); also,
less properly, the process by which starch is converted into grape
sugar (dextrose).
&fist; The terms invert and inversion, in this
sense, owe their meaning to the fact that the plane of polarization
of light, which is rotated to the right by cane sugar, is turned
toward the left by levulose.
