- 1 [transitive] reverse something to change something completely so that it is the opposite of what it was before to reverse a procedure/process/trend The government has failed to reverse the economic decline. It is sometimes possible to arrest or reverse the disease. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbdramatically, completely, exactly, … verb + reverseseek to, try to, fail to, … See full entry
- 2 [transitive] reverse something to change a previous decision, law, etc. to the opposite one synonym revoke The Court of Appeal reversed the decision. The policy is likely to be reversed if there is a change of government. to reverse a judgement
- 3 [transitive] reverse something to turn something the opposite way around or change the order of something around Writing is reversed in a mirror. You should reverse the order of these pages. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbdramatically, completely, exactly, … verb + reverseseek to, try to, fail to, … See full entry exchange two things
- 4 [transitive] reverse something to exchange the positions or functions of two things It felt as if we had reversed our roles of parent and child. She used to work for me, but our situations are now reversed. yourself
- 5[transitive] reverse yourself (on something) (North American English) to admit you were wrong or to stop having a particular position in an argument He has reversed himself on a dozen issues. vehicle
- 6 [intransitive, transitive] (especially British English) when a vehicle or its driver reverses or the driver reverses a vehicle, the vehicle goes backwards He reversed around the corner. She reversed into a parking space. Caution! This truck is reversing. reverse something Now reverse the car. compare back Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbslowly, in, out, … prepositioninto, out of See full entry See related entries: Driving telephone call
- 7[transitive] reverse (the) charges (British English) to make a telephone call that will be paid for by the person you are calling, not by you I want to reverse the charges, please. see also collect See related entries: Making calls Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French revers, reverse (nouns), reverser (verb), from Latin reversus ‘turned back’, past participle of revertere, from re- ‘back’ + vertere ‘to turn’.Extra examples He reversed slowly out of the garage. She carefully reversed the lorry up the narrow driveway. The car reversed into a hedge. The decline in this industry has now been completely reversed. To solve the puzzle, simply reverse the order of the numbers. Falling birth rates may reverse the trend towards early retirement. The policy is likely to be reversed if there is a change of government.
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BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːs//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrs//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they reverse BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːs//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrs//
he / she / it reverses BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːsɪz//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrsɪz//
past simple reversed BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːst//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrst//
past participle reversed BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːst//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrst//
-ing form reversing BrE BrE//rɪˈvɜːsɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//rɪˈvɜːrsɪŋ//
Making calls, DrivingCheck pronunciation: reverse
