Definition of "reverse"

The man was killed to feed his image fat / Within this pictured world that ran reverse, / Where miracles alone were ever plain.

1963, Donal Serrell Thomas, Points of Contact

By a reverse of fortune, Stephen becomes rich.

1808, Charles Lamb, Specimens of the English Dramatic Poets Who Lived About the Time of Shakespeare

And the cold truth such sad reverse did seemAs to awake in grief from some delightful dream.

1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, page 192

Simon Forman was notorious in his day, and was a many of many reverses.

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 156

In fact, though the Russians did not yet know it, the British had met with a reverse.

1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 309

but first , master see thee pass thy punto , thy stock , thy reverse , thy guest

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iii]

A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill.

1672, William Temple, Essay on the Original and Nature of Government

Reverse the doom of death.

c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i]

They reversed the conduct of the celebrated vicar of Bray.

1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […]

Bene they all dead, and laide in dolefull herse? / Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reuerse?

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

And that old dame said many an idle verse, / Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, stanza 48

And to his fresh remembrance did reverse / The ugly view of his deformd crimes.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, stanza 48

From March 30, LNER was running around 40% of its trains and had suspended its Aberdeen, Inverness and Hull services, although it reversed the latter decision after Hull Trains suspended operations.

2020 April 8, “Network News: Emergency timetables and the number of services cut”, in Rail, page 15

Richardson dropped into the six-foot between the two engines, ran for a few yards, grabbed Mitchell's engine, and swung himself up. Mitchell had got to his feet by this time, but he made no move. Richardson shut off steam, reversed her, and brought her to a stand.

1950 January, David L. Smith, “A Runaway at Beattock”, in Railway Magazine, page 54

These can divide, and these reverse, the state.

c. 1699 – 1703, Alexander Pope, “The First Book of Statius His Thebais”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717

Custom […] reverses even the distinctions of good and evil.

a. 1729, John Rogers, Conformity to the World destructive of our Happiness

Reversing is also heavily used in connection with malicious software, on both ends of the fence: […]

2011, Eldad Eilam, Reversing: Secrets of Reverse Engineering

[…] but in some instances where malware is proving to be difficult, reversing is needed.

2012, Christopher C. Elisan, Malware, Rootkits & Botnets: A Beginner's Guide, page 117