Re·verse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reversed p. pr. & vb. n. Reversing.]
 1. To turn back; to cause to face in a contrary direction; to cause to depart.
 And that old dame said many an idle verse,
 Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse.   --Spenser.
 2. To cause to return; to recall. [Obs.]
 And to his fresh remembrance did reverse
 The ugly view of his deformed crimes.   --Spenser.
 3. To change totally; to alter to the opposite.
    Reverse the doom of death.   --Shak.
    She reversed the conduct of the celebrated vicar of Bray.   --Sir W. Scott.
 4. To turn upside down; to invert.
    A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill.   --Sir W. Temple.
 5. Hence, to overthrow; to subvert.
    These can divide, and these reverse, the state.   --Pope.
    Custom . . . reverses even the distinctions of good and evil.   --Rogers.
 6. Law To overthrow by a contrary decision; to make void; to under or annual for error; as, to reverse a judgment, sentence, or decree.
 Reverse arms Mil., a position of a soldier in which the piece passes between the right elbow and the body at an angle of 45°, and is held as in the illustration.
 To reverse an engine or To reverse a machine, to cause it to perform its revolutions or action in the opposite direction.
 Syn: -- To overturn; overset; invert; overthrow; subvert; repeal; annul; revoke; undo.