European Union leaders agreed to suspend visa and investment talks with Russia on Thursday in reaction to its seizure of Crimea, and said they would freeze Russian assets and withdraw from a G8 summit if Russia does not reverse course.
Source: Reuters – EU sets out three steps to pressure Russia over Ukraine
I checked in dictionaries but it did not help.
I think the word “course” means “act”. Am I right? Does “reverse course” mean “stop acting like this”?
Best Answer
"Reverse course" is an idiom. A "course" is the path that a ship or airplane takes to reach its destination. To "reverse course" is to stop and go back the way you came, to head back to your starting point.
So when they say they want Russia "to reverse course" -- I'm guessing the complete original sentence said something about "RUSSIA reverse course" -- they mean they want Russia to undo what it has done. Presumably withdraw from the Crimea, etc.