different between repeal vs reversal

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman repeler, from Old French rapeler (“to call back, call in, call after, revoke”), from Latin repell? (“drive or thrust back”), from re- and pell? (“push or strike”). Doublet of repel.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /???pi?l/
• Rhymes: -i?l

Verb

repeal (third-person singular simple present repeals, present participle repealing, simple past and past participle repealed)

1. (transitive) To cancel, invalidate, annul.
   • c. 1590, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 3, Act I, Scene 1,^[1]

     […] I here divorce myself

     Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,

     Until that act of parliament be repeal’d

     Whereby my son is disinherited.

   • 1776, Samuel Johnson, letter to James Boswell, cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, 1791, p. 8,^[2]

     As manners make laws, manners likewise repeal them.

   • 1791, Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, London: J.S. Jordan, p. 15,^[3]

     It requires but a very small glance of thought to perceive, that altho’ laws made in one generation often continue in force through succeeding generations, yet that they continue to derive their force from the consent of the living. A law not repealed continues in force, not because it cannot be repealed, but because it is not repealed; and the non-repealing passes for consent.

2. To recall; to summon (a person) again; to bring (a person) back from exile or banishment.
   • 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, London: William Jones,^[4]

     There weepe, for till my Gaueston be repeald,

     Assure thy selfe thou comst not in my sight.

   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II, Act II, Scene 2,^[5]

     The banish’d Bolingbroke repeals himself,

     And with uplifted arms is safe arrived […]

3. To suppress; to repel.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 7, lines 59-60,^[6]

     Whence Adam soon repeal’d

     The doubts that in his heart arose.

Synonyms

• annul, cancel, invalidate, revoke, veto

Translations

Noun

repeal (plural repeals)

1. An act or instance of repealing.

Anagrams

• Lapeer, Leaper, leaper

English

Etymology

reverse +? -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???v??(?)s?l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s?l

Noun

reversal (countable and uncountable, plural reversals)

1. The state of being reversed.
2. An instance of reversing.
3. A change in fortune; a change from being successful to having problems.

Usage notes

Reversal of trains often takes place at a terminus, where the driver walks to the cab at the other end of the train; if hauled by a locomotive, that moves to the other end if the train if the train has no driving cab at the other end.

Synonyms

• reversion

Translations

Adjective

reversal (not comparable)

1. Intended to reverse; implying reversal.

   • For after his death there were reversal letters found among his papers from the Duke of Anjou

Derived terms

• reversalism
• reversalist
• reversality
• reversally

Anagrams

• ravelers, slaverer

Spanish

Adjective

reversal (plural reversales)

1. used to describe a type of diplomatic note

Usage notes

• It is used almost exclusively in the terms carta reversal or nota reversal