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. & Zoöl.) 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" (r&esl;*v&etilde;rs"), 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 (-v&etilde;rst");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°, 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.
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. & Zoöl.) 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" (r&esl;*v&etilde;rs"), 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 (-v&etilde;rst");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°, 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.
