counter

See also Counter, and counter-

English

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Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Anglo-Norman countour, from Old French conteor (French comptoir), from Medieval Latin computatorium, from Latin computare.

Noun

counter (plural counters)

  1. An object (now especially a small disc) used in counting or keeping count, or as a marker in games, etc.
    • He rolled a six on the dice, so moved his counter forward six spaces.
  2. (curling) Any stone lying closer to the center than any of the opponent's stones.
  3. A table or board on which money is counted and over which business is transacted; a shop tabletop on which goods are examined, weighed or measured.
    • He put his money on the counter, and the shopkeeper put it in the till.
  4. One who counts, or reckons up; a reckoner.
    • He's only 16 months, but is already a good counter - he can count to 100.
  5. A telltale; a contrivance attached to an engine, printing press, or other machine, for the purpose of counting the revolutions or the pulsations.
  6. (historical) The prison attached to a city court; a Counter.
  7. (grammar) A class of word used along with numbers to count objects and events, typically mass nouns. Although rare and optional in English (e.g. "20 head of cattle"), they are numerous and required in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
  8. In a kitchen, a surface, often built into the wall and above a cabinet, whereon various food preparations take place.
  9. (wrestling) A proactive defensive hold or move in reaction to a hold or move by one's opponent.
    • Always know a counter to any hold you try against your opponent.
  10. (computing, programming) A variable, memory location, etc. whose contents are incremented to keep a count.
  11. (computing, Internet) A hit counter.
Derived terms
Terms derived from counter (noun)
Translations
object used in counting
curling: stone counting as point
table or board on which business is transacted
one who counts
telltale
prison attached to city court
grammar: class of word — see measure word
surface for food preparation
wrestling: proactive defence
something in contradiction to a proposal
computing: variable etc. for keeping count
part of shoe or boot
internet: hit counter — see hit counter

Etymology 2

From Old French contre, Anglo-Norman cuntre, both from Latin contra.

Adverb

counter (not comparable)

  1. Contrary, in opposition; in an opposite direction.
    • Running counter to all the rules of virtue. -Locks.
Translations
contrary, in opposition; in an opposite direction

Noun

counter (plural counters)

  1. (nautical) The overhanging stern of a vessel above the waterline.
  2. (by extension) The piece of a shoe or a boot around the heel of the foot (above the heel of the shoe/boot).
    • 1959, J. D. Salinger, Seymour: An Introduction:
      Seymour, sitting in an old corduroy armchair across the room, a cigarette going, wearing a blue shirt, gray slacks, moccasins with the counters broken down, a shaving cut on the side of his face [...].

Etymology 3

From counter-.

Verb

counter (third-person singular simple present counters, present participle countering, simple past and past participle countered)

  1. To contradict, oppose.
  2. (boxing) To return a blow while receiving one, as in boxing.
    • His left hand countered provokingly. - C. Kingsley
  3. To take action in response to; to respond.
    • 2012 December 21, Simon Jenkins, “We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys”, The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 2, page 23: 
      David Cameron insists that his latest communications data bill is “vital to counter terrorism”. Yet terror is mayhem. It is no threat to freedom. That threat is from counter-terror, from ministers capitulating to securocrats.
Translations
to contradict, oppose
boxing: to return a blow while receiving one
to take action in response to

Adjective

counter (not comparable)

  1. Contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse; antagonistic.
    • His carrying a knife was counter to my plan.
Derived terms
  • counter agent
  • counter fugue
  • counter current
  • counter revolution
  • counter poison
See also: counter-

Anagrams

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Old French

Verb

counter

  1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of cunter

Conjugation

  • Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.
   Conjugation of counter (see also Appendix:Old French verbs)
simple compound
infinitive counter avoir counté, countez
gerund en countant Use the gerund of avoir followed by the past participle
present participle countant
past participle counté, countez
person singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative jeo, jou tu il nos, nous vos, vous ils
simple
tenses		 present counte, count countes, counts counte, count countons countez, countés countent
imperfect countoe, counteie, countoie countoes, counteies, countoies countot, counteit, countoit countions, countiions countiez, countiiez countoent, countient, countoient
past historic countai countas counta countames countastes counterent
future counterai counteras countera counterons counterez, countereiz counteront
conditional counteroe, countereie, counteroie counteroes, countereies, counteroies counterot, countereie, counteroie counterions, counteriions counteriez, counteriiez counteroent, countereient, counteroient
compound
tenses		 present perfect Use the present tense of avoir followed by the past participle
pluperfect Use the imperfect tense of avoir followed by the past participle
past anterior Use the past historic tense of avoir followed by the past participle
future perfect Use the future tense of avoir followed by the past participle
conditional perfect Use the conditional tense of avoir followed by the past participle
subjunctive que jeo, jou que tu qu’il que nos, nous que vos, vous qu’ils
simple
tenses		 present counte, count countes, counts counte, count countons countez countent
imperfect countasse countasses countast countissons countissez, countissiez countassent
compound
tenses		 past Use the present subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle
pluperfect Use the imperfect subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle
imperative – tu – nos, nous vos, vous –
— counte — countons countez —
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Last modified on 25 April 2013, at 19:16