irrevocable, irreversible
- irrevocable, irreversible
Irrevocable means "unable to be repealed or annulled," "not to be called back": "The judge declared that the fine was irrevocable." "After jumping from an airplane, one realizes that his act is irrevocable." (Irrevocable should be pronounced with emphasis upon the second syllable: ir-REV-o-ca-ble.) Irreversible has much the same meaning: "incapable of being changed or reversed." What little distinction there is between the words is that irrevocable is more often applied to statements, single acts, and decrees and irreversible to a course or pattern of action: "His decision to resign was irrevocable." "The life-style of a hardened criminal is sometimes considered irreversible."
Dictionary of problem words and expressions.
Harry Shaw.
1975.
Look at other dictionaries:
irrevocable — See irrevocable, irreversible … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
irreversible — See irrevocable, irreversible … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
irrevocable — ir·rev·o·ca·ble /ir re və kə bəl/ adj: not capable of being revoked the offer was irrevocable for ten days ir·rev·o·ca·bil·i·ty n ir·rev·o·ca·bly adv Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
irréversible — [ irevɛrsibl ] adj. • 1892; de 1. in et réversible ♦ Qui n est pas réversible. 1 ♦ Techn. Qui ne peut fonctionner que dans un seul sens. Mécan. Qui ne peut transmettre un mouvement que dans un seul sens. Réducteur irréversible. 2 ♦ Qui ne peut se … Encyclopédie Universelle
irreversible — ir·re·ver·si·ble /ˌir rə vər sə bəl/ adj: not reversible an irreversible decision Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. irreversible … Law dictionary
Irrevocable — Ir*rev o*ca*ble, a. [L. irrevocabilis: cf. F. irr[ e]vocable. See {In } not, and {Revoke}, and cf. {Irrevocable}.] Incapable of being recalled or revoked; unchangeable; irreversible; unalterable; as, an irrevocable promise or decree; irrevocable… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Irreversible — Ir re*vers i*ble, a. 1. Incapable of being reversed or turned about or back; incapable of being made to run backward; as, an irreversible engine; an irreversible process; an irreversible reaction. [1913 Webster +PJC] 2. Incapable of being… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
irrevocable — [adj] fixed, unchangeable certain, changeless, constant, doomed, established, fated, final, immutable, indelible, inevitable, invariable, irremediable, irretrievable, irreversible, lost, permanent, predestined, predetermined, settled, unalterable … New thesaurus
irrevocable decision — irreversible resolution, unchangeable conclusion … English contemporary dictionary
irrevocable — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) adj. irreversible, past recall, done, absolute. See necessity. II (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. permanent, unalterable, irreversible, indelible; see certain 3 , conclusive , inevitable . III (Roget s 3… … English dictionary for students
