Search the Dictionary

To go back, in or over (a previous course); to go over again in a reverse direction; as, to retrace one's steps; to retrace one's proceedings.

To turn back, or to the contrary; to reverse. Till happy chance revert the cruel scence. Prior. The tumbling stream . . . Reverted, plays in undulating flow. Thomson.

Turned back; reversed. Specifically: (Her.) Bent or curved twice, in opposite directions, or in the form of an S.

in the nature of proceedings in error, filed to procure an examination and alteration or reversal of a final decree which has been duly signed and enrolled. Wharton. -- Commission of review (Eng. Eccl. Law), a commission formerly granted by the crown to revise the sentence of the court of delegates.…

n act done, a power or authority given, or a license, gift, or benefit conferred; repeal; reversal; as, the revocation of an edict, a power, a will, or a license.

Hence, to annul, by recalling or taking back; to repeal; to rescind; to cancel; to reverse, as anything granted by a special act; as, , to revoke a will, a license, a grant, a permission, a law, or the like. Shak.

A kind of motor speed controller permitting of very gradual variation in speed and of reverse. It is especially suitable for use with motor driven machine tools.

An instrument for reversing the direction of an electric current. [Written also reotrope.]

ions. It is used to produce a ray circularly polarized from a plane-polarized ray, or the reverse. Nichol.

year and ring in the new. Tennyson. -- To ring the bells backward, to sound the chimes, reversing the common order; -- formerly done as a signal of alarm or danger. Sir W. Scott.

Cut flat on the reverse, and with a convex face formed of triangular facets in rows; -- said of diamonds and other precious stones. See Rose diamond, under Rose. Cf. Brilliant, n.

Circularly; in a circular form or manner; by revolving or reversing one's position; as, to turn one's head round; a wheel turns round.

Sum of scenes or views; general aspect, as regards variety and beauty or the reverse, in a landscape; combination of natural views, as woods, hills, etc. Never need an American look beyond his own country for the sublime and beautiful of natural scenery. W. Irving.

An auxiliary motor, regulated by a hand lever, for quickly and easily moving the reversing gear of a large marine engine into any desired position indicated by that of the hand lever, which controls the valve of the motor.

ammer. (a) A hammer the head of which is not tightly fastened upon the handle, but may be reversed. Knight. (b) A hammer with a concave face which forms a die for shaping anything, as the end of a bolt, rivet, etc. -- Set line, a line to which a number of baited hooks are attached, and which, supported by floats and p…

A backset; a check; a repulse; a reverse; a relapse. [Colloq. U.S.]

Having the whorls of the spire revolving or rising to the left; reversed; -- said of certain spiral shells.

gamut, ascending or descending; as, do or ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do, or the same in reverse order. Yet can I neither solfe ne sing. Piers Plowman.

A gold coin, first made in the reign of Edward IV., having a star on the reverse resembling the rowel of a spur. In the reigns of Elizabeth and of James I., its value was fifteen shillings. [Written also spur-rial, and spur-ryal.]

e by a foreign state, or a particular estate by the tenant thereof to him in remainder or reversion.