French word

renverser

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɑ̃vɛʁse/

Meaning

  • verbknock over

Example

Il a renversé la chaise.

He knocked over the chair.

Illustration for renverser (knock over)

More examples

Elle a renversé son verre en riant.

She spilled her glass while laughing.

Core concept

A sudden turn puts something upright onto its side and can leave its contents or authority spilled out.

Common phrases

  • renverser la chaise

    turn the chair over

  • renverser la table

    turn the table over

  • renverser un verre

    spill a glass

Similar words

faire tomber: To make a person or object fall over or drop.
bousculer: To jostle a person or object, making it wobble or fall.
faire basculer: To tilt something until it tips over.
verser: To pour liquid from one container into another.

Definition in French

Faire basculer ou retourner un objet, souvent au point que son contenu se déverse; peut aussi signifier faire tomber une personne ou destituer une autorité.

Word origin

Old French forms renverser with re- and verser, whose deeper origin is Latin versare, related to vertere, meaning 'turn'.

Usage tips

  • Despite its resemblance to English 'reverse', renverser usually means overturn, knock down, or overthrow; 'inverser' often expresses technical reversal.

Other meanings

  • spillverb
  • overthrowverb
  • overturnverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word