REVERSE, v.t. revers'. [L. reversus, reverto; re and verto, to turn.]

1. Change; vicissitude; a turn of affairs; in a good sense. By a strange reverse of things, Justinian's law, which for many ages was neglected, now obtains. – Baker.
2. Change for the worse; misfortune. By an unexpected reverse of circumstances, an affluent man is reduced to poverty.
3. A contrary; an opposite. The performances to which God has annexed the promises of eternity, are just the reverse of all the pursuits of sense. – Rogers.
4. [Fr. revers.] The reverse of a medal or coin is the second or back side, opposite to that on which the head or principal figure is impressed. – Encyc.

To return. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

1. To turn upside down; as, to reverse a pyramid or cone. – Temple.
2. To overturn; to subvert; as, to reverse the state. – Pope.
3. To turn back; as, with swift wheel reverse. – Milton.
4. To turn to the contrary; as, to reverse the scene. Or affectations quite reverse the soul. – Pope.
5. To put each in the place of the other; as, to reverse the distinctions of good and evil. – Rogers.
6. In law, to overthrow by a contrary decision; to make void; to annul; as, to reverse a judgment, sentence or decree. Judgments are reversed by writs of error; and for certain causes, may be reversed without such writs.
7. To recall. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

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. 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.

3. 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.

4. To return; to revert.
   
   
   [Obs.] Spenser.
5. Turned upside down; greatly disturbed.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   He found the sea diverse
   With many a windy storm reverse. Gower.

6. 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.

7. To cause to return; to recall.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   And to his fresh remembrance did reverse
   The ugly view of his deformed crimes. Spenser.

8. To become or be reversed.
9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.
13. To turn upside down; to invert.
    
    

    A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill. Sir W. Temple.

14. A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a backhanded stroke.
    
    
    [Obs.] Shak.
15. Hence, to overthrow; to subvert.
    
    

    These can divide, and these reverse, the state. Pope.

    Custom . . . reverses even the distinctions of good and evil. Rogers.

16. A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the bandage is changed.
17. 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.