reversal

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)səl

Etymology 1

From Middle English reversall; equivalent to reverse +‎ -al.

Noun

reversal (countable and uncountable, plural reversals)

1. The state of being reversed.
2. An instance of reversing.
   • 2019 October, Tony Miles, “Chase Line service to be split next May”, in Modern Railways, page 17:

     Running via Aston would require a reversal at New Street and this will be taken into account during the planning and normal industry testing processes.

3. A change in fortune; a change from being successful to having problems.

Usage notes

Reversal of trains often takes place at a terminus, where the driver walks to the cab at the other end of the train; if hauled by a locomotive, that moves to the other end if the train if the train has no driving cab at the other end.

Synonyms

• reversion

Derived terms

• nonreversal
• prereversal
• reversalism
• reversalist
• reversality
• reversally
• unreversal

 

Compound words

• age-reversal
• photoreversal

 

Expressions

• magnetic reversal
• role reversal
• Russian reversal
• time reversal

 

Translations

an instance of reversing

• Bulgarian: обръщане (bg) n (obrǎštane)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 倒轉／倒转 (dou³ zyun³)

  Mandarin: 倒轉／倒转 (zh) (dàozhuǎn)

• French: renversement (fr) m, inversion (fr) f
• Greek: αναστροφή (el) f (anastrofí)

  Ancient: ἀναστροφή f (anastrophḗ)

• Hungarian: -csere (hu), megfordítás (hu), megfordulás (hu), -forduló (hu)
• Spanish: inversión (es) f, retorno (es) m, revocación f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: omkering (nl) f, ommezwaai (nl)
• Sranan Tongo: trafassi

Etymology 2

From French réversal or Medieval Latin reversālis.

Adjective

reversal (not comparable)

1. Intended to reverse; implying reversal.
   • 1724, [Gilbert] Burnet, edited by [Gilbert Burnet Jr.], Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] Thomas Ward […], →OCLC:

     For after his death there were reversal letters found among his papers from the Duke of Anjou

Anagrams

• ravelers, slaverer

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rebeɾˈsal/ [re.β̞eɾˈsal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: re‧ver‧sal

Adjective

reversal m or f (masculine and feminine plural reversales)

1. used to describe a type of diplomatic note

Usage notes

• It is used almost exclusively in the terms carta reversal or nota reversal