Definition of "reverse-engineer" [reverse-engineer]

• To derive or duplicate the design, technical specifications, manufacturing methods, or functionality of an object by studying an existing product, prototype, etc. (verb)
• A person whose job is to reverse-engineer products. (noun)

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• "That is to say, one comes with a set of actions which they find psychologically comforting, philosophically attractive, or based upon some other already existing predisposition, and they reverse-engineer their risk analysis factors to support the decision they have already made."
• "Chefs at Olive Garden headquarters reverse-engineer menu items from real Italian dishes."
• ""We believe the Chinese used those materials to gain an insight into secret stealth technologies ... and to reverse-engineer them," he was quoted as saying."