1 [+ obj] : to change (something) to an opposite state or condition
▪ Our roles as caregiver and patient have been reversed. [=switched] ▪ The runners reversed their direction on the track. ▪ The Supreme Court reversed [=overturned] the decision. ▪ The college is trying to reverse the decline in applicants. [=the college is trying to get more people to apply] ▪ Had our situations been reversed [=if I had been in the situation that you were in], I would have done things differently. 2 [+ obj] : to cause (something, such as a process) to stop or return to an earlier state
▪ We cannot reverse [=undo] the damage that is already done. ▪ The medicine may reverse the course of this disease. [=the medicine may stop this disease from getting worse] ▪ There is no way to reverse the aging process. ▪ The operation cannot be reversed. [=undone] ▪ Can anything reverse the trend toward higher prices? 3 [+ obj] a : to change the order or position of (two things or a series)
▪ Reverse the “i” and “e” in “recieve” to spell “receive” correctly. ▪ My mother and I reversed our roles. Now I'm taking care of her. ▪ We're going to reverse our usual order and start with Z.
b : to switch the positions of the top and bottom or the front and back of (something)
▪ You need to reverse the paper [=to turn the paper around] in the printer so that the letterhead is up. ▪ Reverse that painting [=turn that painting over] so that I can see the back. 4 chiefly Brit : to drive (a vehicle) backward [+ obj] ▪ Reverse [=(US) back, back up] the car into/out of the parking space. [no obj] ▪ Reverse [=(US) back, back up] into/out of the parking space. ▪ The car reversed. [=(US) backed up]