(~s, reversing, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
When someone or something ~s a decision, policy, or trend, they change it to the opposite decision, policy, or trend.
They have made it clear they will not ~ the decision to increase prices...
VERB: V n
2.
If you ~ the order of a set of things, you arrange them in the opposite order, so that the first thing comes last.
The normal word order is ~d in passive sentences.
VERB: be V-ed
3.
If you ~ the positions or functions of two things, you change them so that each thing has the position or function that the other one had.
He ~d the position of the two stamps.
VERB: V n
4.
When a car ~s or when you ~ it, the car is driven backwards. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use back up )
Another car ~d out of the drive...
He ~d his car straight at the policeman.
VERB: V, V n
5.
If your car is in ~, you have changed gear so that you can drive it backwards.
He lurched the car in ~ along the ruts to the access road.
N-UNCOUNT: usu in/into N
6.
Reverse means opposite to what you expect or to what has just been described.
The wrong attitude will have exactly the ~ effect.
= opposite
ADJ: usu ADJ n
7.
If you say that one thing is the ~ of another, you are emphasizing that the first thing is the complete opposite of the second thing.
There is absolutely no evidence at all that spectators want longer cricket matches. Quite the ~...
N-SING: the N
8.
A ~ is a serious failure or defeat. (FORMAL)
It’s clear that the party of the former Prime Minister has suffered a major ~.
= setback
N-COUNT
9.
The ~ or the ~ side of a flat object which has two sides is the less important or the other side.
Cheques should be made payable to Country Living and your address written on the ~.
= back
? front
N-SING: the N
10.
If something happens in ~ or goes into ~, things happen in the opposite way to what usually happens or to what has been happening.
Amis tells the story in ~, from the moment the man dies...
PHRASE: v PHR
11.
If you ~ the charges when you make a telephone call, the person who you are phoning pays the cost of the call and not you. (BRIT; in AM, use call collect )
PHRASE: V inflects