What Does Reverse Mean?
"Reverse" is the gear opposite of "forward." In auguring, the auger turns counterclockwise – as seen from the operator's position – when it is in the "reverse" gear. The auger turns clockwise when in the "forward" setting.
In reverse, the auger bit is moving backward in the bore toward the operator and the auger, just as an automobile moves backward when it's gearshift lever is placed in reverse and forward when it's gearshift lever is placed in one of the forward positions.