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invert

/ɪnˈvɜrt/
/ˈɪnvɜrt/
IPA guide

Other forms: inverted; inverts; inverting

When you invert something, you turn it upside down, whether it’s an idea or a test you place face-down on your desk when you are finished.

Invert comes from the Latin word invertere, which means "to turn." For example, you might invert a cake pan, turning it upside down on a plate in order to remove the cake. Or if you have a long-standing belief, say, that cats make bad pets, spending time with a really great cat may make you turn that belief upside down, inverting it. And you might even get a cat of your own!

Definitions of invert
  1. verb
    turn inside out or upside down
    synonyms: reverse, turn back
    see moresee less
    type of:
    alter, change, modify
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
  2. verb
    reverse the position, order, relation, or condition of
    “when forming a question, invert the subject and the verb”
    synonyms: reverse
    see moresee less
    type of:
    reorder
    assign a new order to
  3. verb
    make an inversion (in a musical composition)
    “here the theme is inverted
    see moresee less
    type of:
    alter, change, modify
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
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