in reverse
in reverse — 慣用語
1. Moving or operating backward, toward the starting point instead of the usual for
倒車；反向
朝相反方向移動或操作
Moving or operating backward, toward the starting point instead of the usual forward direction.
Tariq put the car in reverse and backed carefully into the narrow parking space.
Tariq 將車打入倒車檔，小心翼翼地倒進狹窄的停車位。
driving context: put the car in reverse + backed
The motor on the fishing boat started running in reverse, pulling the anchor line back.
那艘舊漁船上的馬達開始反向運轉，把錨繩拉回來。
Mei pressed the reverse button and watched the boxes roll back toward the loading area.
Mei 按下倒轉按鈕，看著箱子往裝貨區的方向滾回去。
collocation: reverse button / run in reverse on a machine
When the projector jammed, the technician ran it in reverse to free the stuck film.
當電影放映機卡住時，技術人員讓它反向運轉來鬆開卡住的底片。
- put [something] in reverse
- shift into reverse
- run in reverse
- operate in reverse
- forward
the opposite direction, toward the front or destination
用法筆記
Common in driving contexts with "put" or "shift" ([put the car] in reverse). For machines with a reverse setting, use "run" or "operate" ([run the machine] in reverse).
常見錯誤
2. In a sequence that goes from the last item to the first, opposite to the usual o
倒序；逆向
從尾到頭的排列方式
In a sequence that goes from the last item to the first, opposite to the usual order.
The teacher asked the children to recite the months in reverse, beginning with December.
老師要求孩子們倒序背誦月份，從十二月開始。
pattern: [list] in reverse + beginning with [last item]
The recipe listed the steps in reverse, so Putri read from the bottom to start.
食譜的步驟是反過來寫的，所以 Putri 從最底下讀才知道從哪裡開始做。
To check the recorded footage, Emma played the video in reverse from the final scene.
為了檢查錄下的畫面，Emma 從最後一幕開始倒著播放影片。
Leo sorted the library books in reverse by year, with the oldest ones on top.
Leo 依照年份倒序排列圖書館的書，把最舊的放在最上面。
collocation: sorted [items] in reverse by [criterion]
- [list] in reverse
- sorted in reverse
- in reverse by [criterion]
- play [video] in reverse
- in reverse order
the full form of the phrase, slightly more formal
- backwards
informal; used for counting or listing from the end
- in order
following the normal sequence from first to last
用法筆記
Often followed by a specifying phrase: [list] in reverse by [criterion] or [list] in reverse, [starting/beginning with…]. Do not confuse with "in reverse order" — both are used, but "in reverse order" is the more complete form.
常見錯誤
3. Moving from a good or successful state toward a worse or less favorable conditio
倒退；惡化
從好轉壞的狀態變化
Moving from a good or successful state toward a worse or less favorable condition, often suddenly or unexpectedly.
After the CEO resigned, the company's progress went into reverse within months.
執行長辭職後，公司的進展在幾個月內全部倒退。
pattern: [progress/situation] went into reverse
The patient's recovery went into reverse when a new infection reached her bloodstream.
當新的感染侵入病人的血液，她的康復情況反而惡化了。
Years of diplomatic work between the two countries went into reverse after the border clash.
兩國之間多年的外交工作，在邊境衝突後化為烏有。
The project's timeline went into reverse when the main contractor filed for bankruptcy halfway through.
當主要承包商中途申請破產時，該專案的時間表開始倒退。
- go into reverse
- [abstract noun] went into reverse
- deteriorate
more direct verb; 'in reverse' implies a turn-around from progress, not just gradual decay
- regress
formal synonym; emphasizes returning to an earlier, worse stage
- improve
moving toward a better condition, the opposite trajectory
用法筆記
Almost always used with the verb "go" ([something] goes/went into reverse). The subject is typically an abstract noun such as "progress," "recovery," "reform," or "peace." Rarely used in everyday conversation; belongs to news, business, and formal reporting.