reverse

A2 · Elementary

v. to drive a car or other vehicle backwards.

v. to operate a vehicle in a rearward direction. Often used intransitively or with a reflexive pronoun.

“It is difficult to reverse a large truck into a narrow driveway.”

“The driver carefully reversed the trailer toward the loading dock, relying entirely on his side mirrors to guide the maneuver.”

C1 · Advanced Law Formal

v. to officially change a legal decision or a rule to the opposite.

v. to annul or overrule a previous legal judgement, verdict, or administrative decree.

“The higher court chose to reverse the earlier judge's decision.”

“The Supreme Court eventually reversed the ruling, citing a fundamental misinterpretation of the constitutional protections regarding privacy.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the exact opposite of a situation or statement.

n. the contrary or opposite of something previously mentioned.

“I thought the film would be boring, but the reverse was true.”

“While many expected the tax cuts to stimulate spending, the reverse occurred as households began saving more in anticipation of a recession.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal · Literary

n. a problem that stops progress or makes a situation worse.

n. a change from good fortune to bad; a significant defeat or setback.

“The army suffered a major reverse during the winter battle.”

“Despite several financial reverses early in his career, the entrepreneur eventually built a global shipping empire.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the back of something, like a coin or a piece of paper.

n. the side of a coin, medal, or document that is considered the back.

“You can find the date the coin was made on its reverse.”

“The artist signed the canvas on the reverse to avoid distracting from the delicate brushwork on the front.”

B1 · Intermediate

adj. going in the opposite direction or being the opposite of something.

adj. acting, moving, or facing in a manner opposite to the usual or previous one.

“The two cars were travelling in reverse directions when they passed each other.”

“The gears were locked in a reverse position, preventing the machine from advancing along the assembly line.”