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Webster 1913 Edition


Reversion

Re-ver′sion

(rē̍-vẽr′shŭn)
,
Noun.
[F.
réversion
, L.
reversio
a turning back. See
Revert
.]
1.
The act of returning, or coming back; return.
[Obs.]
After his
reversion
home, [he] was spoiled, also, of all that he brought with him.
Foxe.
2.
That which reverts or returns; residue.
[Obs.]
The small
reversion
of this great navy which came home might be looked upon by religious eyes as relics.
Fuller.
3.
(Law)
The returning of an estate to the grantor or his heirs, by operation of law, after the grant has terminated; hence, the residue of an estate left in the proprietor or owner thereof, to take effect in possession, by operation of law, after the termination of a limited or less estate carved out of it and conveyed by him.
Kent.
4.
Hence, a right to future possession or enjoyment; succession.
For even
reversions
are all begged before.
Dryden.
5.
(Annuities)
A payment which is not to be received, or a benefit which does not begin, until the happening of some event, as the death of a living person.
Brande & C.
6.
(Biol.)
A return towards some ancestral type or character; atavism.
Reversion of series
(Alg.)
,
the act of reverting a series. See
To revert a series
, under
Revert
,
Verb.
T.

Webster 1828 Edition


Reversion

REVER'SION

,
Noun.
[L. reversio.]
1.
In general sense, a returning; appropriately, in law, the returning of an estate to the grantor or his heirs, after a particular estate is ended. Hence,
2.
The residue of an estate left in the grantor, to commence in possession after the determination of the particular estate granted. Thus when there is a gift in tail, the reversion of the fee is, without any special reservation, vested in the donor by act of law.
3.
Succession; right to future possession or enjoyment.
4.
In algebra, reversion of series, a kind of reversed operation of an infinite series.

Definition 2024


reversion

reversion

See also: reversión and réversion

English

Noun

reversion (countable and uncountable, plural reversions)

  1. The action of reverting something.
  2. The action of returning to a former condition or practice; reversal.
  3. The fact of being turned the reverse way.
  4. The action of turning something the reverse way.
  5. (law) The return of an estate to the donor or grantor after expiry of the grant.
  6. (law) An estate which has been returned in this manner.
  7. (law) The right of succeeding to an estate, or to another possession.
  8. The right of succeeding to an office after the death or retirement of the holder.
  9. The return of a genetic characteristic after a period of suppression.
  10. A sum payable on a person's death.

Usage notes

Basic sense is reverting (as nominalization of revert), but also used as reversing (from reanalysis as reverse + -sion), for which the more precise term is reversal. Compare “mean reversion” with “reversal of fortune”. The similar regression has connotations of moving back in time.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations


Old French

Etymology

Latin reversiō.

Noun

reversion f (oblique plural reversions, nominative singular reversion, nominative plural reversions)

  1. return; act of going back
  2. return; act of giving back

Descendants