The Collaborative International Dictionary
Reversis \Re*ver"sis\, n. [F.] A certain game at cards.
Wiktionary
alt. An old trick-taking card game, popular with the French aristocracy in the 17th and 18th centuries. n. An old trick-taking card game, popular with the French aristocracy in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Wikipedia
Reversis, or more rarely, Réversi, is a very old trick-taking card game of the Hearts group whose origin is supposed to be Italian, transformed into Spain and then in France. It is considered one of the two probable ancestor of Hearts and Black Maria, the other being Conquimbert, or Losing Lodam. It was very popular with the French aristocracy in the 17th and 18th centuries, and much played elsewhere, except in Britain. The game involved vast quantities of counters and a complex system of pools and side-payments. Its name may have possibly come from the reverse order and construction of the game itself, or even from an exceptional slam bid which, like “shooting the moon” in the game of Hearts, reverses the whole normal practice of the game.
Usage examples of "reversis".
After experiencing reverses they fell back without disorder, and retired behind the Aube, where they rallied and obtained numerous reinforcements, which daily arrived, and which soon enabled them to resume the offensive.
There was falsity in the exaggerated descriptions of his victories, and falsity again in the suppression or palliation of his reverses and losses.
This peace-- the fruit of Marengo and Hohenlinden--restored France to that honourable position which had been put in jeopardy by the feeble and incapable government of the pentarchy and the reverses of 1799.
Egypt, which is a very poor country, where money is scarce, and where reverses followed close upon his victories.
Those who were ordered to preside at this work of destruction seemed eager to spread desolation on every side, as if they could thereby avenge themselves for their reverses, and find in such dreadful havoc an alleviation of their sufferings.
When he was informed of our reverses, and saw the full extent of the evil, he was for a moment overwhelmed.
You have traversed France with me--you witnessed the enthusiasm which my return excited--you yourself told me that you saw in that enthusiasm the desire of the French people to be relieved from the disastrous position in which our reverses have placed them.
His follies and reverses in Hanover were without doubt the cause of his abdication.
The people fight in defence of their homes, and reverses destroy our armies without changing the spirit of the nation.
It would seem that fate, which had still some splendid triumphs in store for Bonaparte, intended to prepare beforehand the causes which were to deprive him of all his triumphs at once, and plunge him into reverses even greater than the good fortune which had favoured his elevation.
Majesty should experience reverses you may depend on it that both Russians and Germans will rise up in a mass to shake off the yoke.
Confederation of the Rhine 150,000: in short, including the Swedes and the Dutch, the English troops in Spain and in the Netherlands, the Danes, who had abandoned us, the Spaniards and Portuguese, whose courage and hopes were revived by our reverses, Napoleon had arrayed against him upwards of a million of armed men.
French pride, irritated as it was by reverses, would have opposed insurmountable obstacles to such a measure.