Reverse gears
verb phrase
to change course completely; do an about-face
Word Origin
fr reverse gear, a gear used to make a vehicle travel backwards
Usage Note
informal
Read Also:
- Reversely
adjective 1. opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or character: an impression reverse to what was intended; in reverse sequence. 2. with the back or rear part toward the observer: the reverse side of a fabric. 3. pertaining to or producing movement in a mechanism opposite to that made under ordinary running conditions: a […]
- Reverse-mutation
noun, Genetics. 1. back mutation. back mutation noun, Genetics. 1. a mutation of an existing mutant gene that restores it to its previous form. back mutation noun 1. (genetics) the reversion of a mutant to the original phenotype noun a mutation that causes a gene to revert to its original wild or original type; also […]
- Reverse-osmosis
noun, Chemistry. 1. the process in which pure water is produced by forcing waste or saline water through a semipermeable membrane. reverse osmosis noun 1. a technique for purifying water, in which pressure is applied to force liquid through a semipermeable membrane in the opposite direction to that in normal osmosis reverse osmosis n. The […]
- Reverse passive hemagglutination
reverse passive hemagglutination n. A diagnostic technique for virus infection using agglutination by viruses of red blood cells that previously have been coated with antibody specific to the virus.
- Reverse-plate
noun, Printing. 1. a plate for printing a reverse.