inversion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=ver=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

inversion, n. [L. inversio: cf. F. inversion. See Invert.].

•  The act of inverting, or turning over or backward, or the state of being inverted.  [1913 Webster]
•  A change by inverted order; a reversed position or arrangement of things; transposition.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is just the inversion of an act of Parliament; your lordship first signed it, and then it was passed among the Lords and Commons."  [1913 Webster]
•  A movement in tactics by which the order of companies in line is inverted, the right being on the left, the left on the right, and so on.  [1913 Webster]
•  A change in the order of the terms of a proportion, so that the second takes the place of the first, and the fourth of the third.  [1913 Webster]
•  A peculiar method of transformation, in which a figure is replaced by its inverse figure. Propositions that are true for the original figure thus furnish new propositions that are true in the inverse figure. See Inverse figures, under Inverse.  [1913 Webster]
•  A change of the usual order of words or phrases; as, “of all vices, impurity is one of the most detestable,” instead of, “impurity is one of the most detestable of all vices.”  [1913 Webster]
•  A method of reasoning in which the orator shows that arguments advanced by his adversary in opposition to him are really favorable to his cause.  [1913 Webster]
•  Said of intervals, when the lower tone is placed an octave higher, so that fifths become fourths, thirds sixths, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  The folding back of strata upon themselves, as by upheaval, in such a manner that the order of succession appears to be reversed.  [1913 Webster]
•  The act or process by which cane sugar (sucrose), under the action of heat and acids or enzymes (as diastase), is broken or split up into grape sugar (dextrose), and fruit sugar (levulose); also, less properly, the process by which starch is converted into grape sugar (dextrose).  [1913 Webster]

  " The terms invert and inversion, in this sense, owe their meaning to the fact that the plane of polarization of light, which is rotated to the right by cane sugar, is turned toward the left by levulose."  [1913 Webster]
•  A reversal of the usual temperature gradient of the atmosphere, in which the temperature increases with increased altitude, rather than falling. Called also temperature inversion.

  "This condition in the vicinity of cities can give rise to a severe episode of atmospheric pollution, as it inhibits normal circulation of the air."  [PJC]
•  The conversion of direct current into alternating current; the inverse of rectification. See inverted rectifier.  [PJC]
•  A portion of the genome in which the DNA has been turned around, and runs in a direction opposite to its normal direction, and consequently the genes are present in the reverse of their usual order.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

inversion, n.
1 the act of turning upside down or inside out.
2 the reversal of a normal order, position, or relation.
3 the reversal of the order of words, for rhetorical effect.
4 the reversal of the normal variation of air temperature with altitude.
5 the process or result of inverting.
6 the reversal of direction of rotation of a plane of polarized light.
7 homosexuality.

Derivative

inversive adj.

Etymology

L inversio (as INVERT)

THESAURUS

inversion

about-face, addition, approximation, differentiation, division, equation, evolution, extrapolation, integration, interpolation, involution, multiplication, notation, practice, proportion, reduction, reversal, reverse, reversion, subtraction, transformation, turn, turnabout, turning, volte-face

ROGET THESAURUS

inversion

Ornament

N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.

Contrariety

N contrariety, contrast, foil, antithesis, oppositeness, contradiction, antagonism, clashing, repugnance, inversion, the opposite, the reverse, the inverse, the converse, the antipodes, the antithesis, the other extreme, contrary, contrarious, contrariant, opposite, counter, dead against, converse, reverse, opposed, antithetical, contrasted, antipodean, antagonistic, opposing, conflicting, inconsistent, contradictory, at cross purposes, negative, hostile, differing toto coelo, diametrically opposite, diametrically opposed, as opposite as black and white, as opposite as light and darkness, as opposite as fire and water, as opposite as the poles, as different as night and day, Hyperion to a satyr, quite the contrary, quite the reverse, no such thing, just the other way, tout au contraire, contrarily, contra, contrariwise, per contra, on the contrary, nay rather, vice versa, on the other hand, all concord's born of contraries, Thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

Derangement

N derangement, disorder, evection, discomposure, disturbance, disorganization, deorganization, dislocation, perturbation, interruption, shuffling, inversion, corrugation, involvement, interchange, deranged, syncretic, syncretistic, mussy, messy, flaky, random, unordered.

Change

N change, alteration, mutation, permutation, variation, modification, modulation, inflexion, mood, qualification, innovation, metastasis, deviation, turn, evolution, revolution, diversion, break, transformation, transfiguration, metamorphosis, transmutation, deoxidization, transubstantiation, mutagenesis transanimation, transmigration, metempsychosis, avatar, alterative, conversion, revolution &c (sudden or radical change), inversion, displacement, transference, changeableness, tergiversation, changed, newfangled, changeable, transitional, modifiable, alterative, mutatis mutandis, Int, quantum mutatus!, a change came o'er the spirit of my dream, nous avons change tout cela, tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis, non sum qualis eram, casaque tourner, corpora lente augescent cito extinguuntur, in statu quo ante bellum, still ending and beginning still, vox audita perit littera scripta manet.

Reversion

N reversion, return, revulsion, turning point, turn of the tide, status quo ante bellum, calm before a storm, alternation, inversion, recoil, retreat, regression, retrogression, restoration, relapse, recidivism, atavism, vicinism, reverting, regressive, revulsive, reactionary, retrorse, a rebours.

Inversion

N inversion, eversion, subversion, reversion, retroversion, introversion, contraposition, contrariety, reversal, turn of the tide, overturn, somersault, somerset, summerset, culbute, revulsion, pirouette, transposition, transposal, anastrophy, metastasis, hyperbaton, anastrophe, hysteron proteron, hypallage, synchysis, tmesis, parenthesis, metathesis, palindrome, pronation and supination, inverted, wrong side out, wrong side up, inside out, upside down, bottom upwards, keel upwards, supine, on one's head, topsy-turvy, sens dessus dessous, inverse, reverse, opposite, top heavy, inversely, hirdy-girdy, heels over head, head over heels.

Contraposition

N contraposition, opposition, polarity, inversion, opposite side, reverse, inverse, counterpart, antipodes, opposite poles, North and South, antonym, opposite (contrariety), opposite, reverse, inverse, converse, antipodal, subcontrary, fronting, facing, diametrically opposite, Northern, septentrional, Boreal, arctic, Southern, Austral, antarctic, over, over the way, over against, against, face to face, vis-a- vis, as poles asunder.