English Reference

Word

revise

Phoneticsre·vise, stress on the second syllable

US/ɹiˈvaɪz/

UK/ɹɪvˈaɪz/

Definitions

01to amend or change

B1 · Intermediate Academic

v. to change or improve a piece of writing, a plan, or an idea.

v. to review and alter something, such as a manuscript or policy, in order to improve it or bring it up to date.

“The author had to revise the final chapter after her editor suggested a better ending.”

“The committee decided to revise the safety guidelines following the publication of the new environmental impact report.”

Synonyms

02to study for an exam

B1 · Intermediate British English

v. to read and study work you have already done to prepare for a test.

v. to review previously learned material in preparation for an examination.

“I need to stay home tonight and revise for my history exam tomorrow.”

“Students are encouraged to revise their lecture notes weekly rather than cramming everything into the final few days before finals.”

Synonyms

03a corrected proof

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical

n. a new version of a printed page that shows the corrections made to the first version.

n. a second or subsequent proof sheet taken after corrections have been made to the previous version.

“The editor sent the first revise back to the printer to check the new margins.”

“After the author spotted several typos in the initial galleys, the publisher provided a clean revise for final approval.”

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “revise” in context.

Verb

01. carefully revise the draft

“She carefully revised the draft of her essay before submitting it to the teacher.”

adv + verb + noun

02. revise for an exam

“I need to stay at home this weekend to revise for my final exam.”

verb + prep + adj + noun

03. revise the plan

“The manager decided to revise the plan after the budget was reduced.”

verb + noun

04. revise your notes

“You should revise your notes every evening to remember the new vocabulary.”

verb + possessive + noun

Adverb

05. constantly revise the strategy

“The team had to constantly revise the strategy to keep up with the competition.”

adv + verb + noun

06. thoroughly revise the material

“If you thoroughly revise the material, you will feel much more confident during the test.”

adv + verb + noun

Usage

The verb is transitive when referring to documents or plans; it can be used intransitively in the British sense of studying for exams.

Pitfall

I am revising for my exam since three hours.

I have been revising for my exam for three hours.

Learners often use the present continuous with 'since' instead of the present perfect continuous with 'for' to describe the duration of study.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French réviser, from Latin revīsō, from re- + vīsō (“examine”), frequentative of videō (“see”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

VERB

revise(B1)

Domain

Printing

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Frequent
Level
B1 · IntermediateOxford
Updated

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English Reference