REVERSING
Verb
reversing
present participle of reverse
Noun
reversing (plural reversings)
An act of reversal.
Anagrams
• reserving
Source: Wiktionary
Re*vers"ing, a.
Definition: Serving to effect reversal, as of motion; capable of being
reversed. Reversing engine, a steam engine having a reversing gear by
means of which it can be made to run in either direction at will.
– Reversing gear (Mach.), gear for reversing the direction of
rotation at will.
REVERSE
Re*verse", a. Etym: [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.)
Definition: 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", n. Etym: [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 Ant: obverse. See
Obverse.
5. A thrust in fencing made with a backward turn of the hand; a
backhanded stroke. [Obs.] Shak.
6. (Surg.)
Definition: A turn or fold made in bandaging, by which the direction of the
bandage is changed.
Re*verse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reversed;p. pr. & vb. n. Reversing.]
Etym: [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)
Definition: 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition