Word of the Day ·

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reversible

/ɹəˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪbəl/

adjective

What it means

  1. not comparableAble to be reversed.

    […] the Welwyn bottleneck will be relaid with high-speed turnouts and resignalled for reversible working.

    1960 June, “Talking of Trains: Sunday on the G.N. line”, in Trains Illustrated, page 322
  2. not comparableAble to be worn inside out.

    That boy, Louis, is in his way a masterpiece. Do you know, every article of clothing that he wears is reversible, so that he can present quite a different appearance at the shortest notice!

    1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries
  3. not comparablechemistryCapable of proceeding in either direction.

In a sentence

[…] the Welwyn bottleneck will be relaid with high-speed turnouts and resignalled for reversible working.

1960 June, “Talking of Trains: Sunday on the G.N. line”, in Trains Illustrated, page 322

Where it comes from

Probably from Middle French, equivalent to reverse + -ible.

Full entry for reversible →

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