reverse arms

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

1.To turn back; to cause to face in a contrary direction; to cause to depart. [1913 Webster]

And that old dame said many an idle verse, Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

2.To cause to return; to recall. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

And to his fresh remembrance did reverse The ugly view of his deformed crimes.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

3.To change totally; to alter to the opposite. [1913 Webster]

Reverse the doom of death.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

She reversed the conduct of the celebrated vicar of Bray.— Sir W. Scott.[1913 Webster]

4.To turn upside down; to invert. [1913 Webster]

A pyramid reversed may stand upon his point if balanced by admirable skill.— Sir W. Temple.[1913 Webster]

5.Hence, to overthrow; to subvert. [1913 Webster]

These can divide, and these reverse, the state.— Pope.[1913 Webster]

Custom . . . reverses even the distinctions of good and evil.— Rogers.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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[deg], 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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To overturn; overset; invert; overthrow; subvert; repeal; annul; revoke; undo. [1913 Webster]