Is renverser equally good or better for implying "turn upside down"?

Question

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Hi David,
The verb renverser has many different meanings in French  including to tilt, to spill, to knock down (in a car),  to turn round, to invert, to overthrow.... 
The lesson here is concentrating on the different meanings of 'retourner' whether you use 'avoir' or 'être'.
Hope this helps!

David Shillito · Answer

Thank you, Cécile.
I agree as far the lesson goes, but in real life could I use either word equally to mean "turn upside down" or is renverser inappropriate for some cases. I first learned renverser but since  retourner is confusing due to its double usage I would rather avoid it. 
E.g. "J'ai retourné le sablier" or "j'ai renversé le sablier" for "I inverted the hourglass".

Cécile Janty-Davies · Answer

Unfortunately, if you say, "J'ai renversé le sablier", we hear:
"I knocked the egg timer over",
so no, you can't interchange the two verbs.
Bonne continuation!

David Shillito · Answer

Thank you Cécile.
That is the really hard part about learning languages, even my native English - what is the right word to use in each situation.

Tom Kelly · Answer

That's very interesting, got me thinking since I, like you David,  would habitually use renverser in this situation.
Harraps French/English dictionary gives a meaning of "renverser" as "to turn upside down", equivalent to "retourner exprès"
Collins/Robert treats it similarly : "to turn upside down" equivalent, "mettre à l'envers" and provides a sample usage: "renverser un seau - to turn a bucket upside down"
Finaly L'Académie française 9e édition.
2. Mettre à l'envers, retourner ; basculer dans la position contraire à celle qui est habituelle ou qui précède. Renverser une barque quille en l'air pour la réparer. Couvrir un plat d'une assiette renversée.